THE AUDIENCE OF THE POLISH AMBASSADOR STANISLAS TARNOWSKI IN THE TOPKAPI PALACE, TURKEY, OTTOMAN, DATED 13 AUGUST 1707 |

watercolour on watermarked paper with 6 lines in French below the painting describing the scene, framed

In overall good condition, minor losses the paintings and minor areas of retouching, minor staining visible on the back, as viewed.
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On 13 August 1707 the Polish Ambassador Stanislas Tarnowski had an audience with the Ottoman Minister of Foreign Affairs, Acem Bekir Efendi. At the meeting were also present the interpreter, the chief of staff, the lieutenant of the janissary, an officer of the Sublime Porte, the Sultan’s sword bearer and the Polish interpreter, and a gentleman called Joseph d’Alezandre who painted the audience, providing us with a rare documentation of this important encounter. D’Alezandre, whose signature can be read at the end of the sixth line, carefully identified and numbered each official who was present at the successful meeting in which King Stanislaus I requested Ottoman support against the Russians, who were helping the dethroned King August II in 1704.

The inscription reads: La chambre de Reis Efendi 1- Reis Efendi, Grand Chancelier, ministre des affaires etrangeres 2- Premier interprete d’in ministre etranger presantant un memoir 3-Hagioghian du premier rand au chef d’un bureau 4- …… de la milice lieutenant du janissaire A 5- Un officier ….. de la porte …. Ces 3 personnages sont en visite 6- un page tenant une scoupe contenant de la …messe avec une cauvelier couvert d’un etoffe brodee 7- un page tenant le sherbet ou boisso 8- un laquais ou un silahandar tenant les mains croisees pres de la porte de la chambre. Presente  a  Monsieur le comte Stanislas Tarnowski pendant son sejour a Constantinople le 13 Aout 1707 par son tres humble serviteur Joseph d’Alexandre intreprete de Pologne.