Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul

Original Watercolour

The ornate splendour of empire in stone and mortar — this original watercolour captures the magnificent Imperial Gate of Dolmabahçe Palace (Saltanat Kapısı), its extravagant Baroque and Neoclassical decoration rising against the Istanbul sky beside the long, colonnaded façade of one of the world's great royal palaces.

• Original watercolour, unmounted size 21 x 30cm / 8 x 12"
• Perfect for Istanbul lovers, history enthusiasts, travellers and admirers of Ottoman imperial architecture and European Baroque design

Dolmabahçe Palace, built between 1843 and 1856 by Sultan Abdülmecid I on the European shore of the Bosphorus, was the administrative centre of the late Ottoman Empire and the residence of its sultans. Its Imperial Gate is among the most elaborately decorated entrances in the world — an overwhelming display of craftsmanship that signals the grandeur within. Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, died here in 1938.

Barnard's loose washes and pen work capture the gate's astonishing decorative detail and the palace's commanding presence — a perfect gift for those who appreciate something hand crafted and different.