GUER

VUE DU GRAND SERAIL DE CONSTANTINOPLE

Jean Antoine GUER (1713-1771)

1774

90 x 28 cm., Framed.

Jean Antoine Guer never travelled to the East himself. He composed his works by borrowing texts, information and occasionally illustrations from editions by P. Belon, J.J. Grelot, O.G. Busbecq, P. Ricaut, Maillet, J. Pitton de Tournefort, J. Tavernier, J. Thévenot and others. In the first part of his book of “Moeurs et Usagesdes Turcs, leur Religion, leur Gouvernement Civil, Militaire et Politique” he provides a concise history of the Turks and the Ottoman Sultans. The text continues with chapters on the administration and the institutions, the army, the palace, politics, religion and ceremonies, the national character, dress, dietary habits, houses, women, customs and traditions in the Ottoman Empire. Guer does not expand on matters concerning minorities, such as Christians or Arabs, and limits himself to the Ottomans. At the end of the first volume is a table of European sovereigns of the time. This panorama  is from this book…

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou