{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O136488"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O136488/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU0912/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU0912/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU0912","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT7298","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O136488/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O136488","accessionNumber":"SD.19","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Interior of a Turkish Caffinet, Constantinople","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"Interior of a Turkish Coffee House, Constantinople","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This watercolour was reproduced as an etching to illustrate Revd Robert Walsh’s  Constantinople and the scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor, published in 1838. According to the Revd Walsh’s text accompanying this picture `the caffinet, or coffee-house is something more splendid, and the Turk expends all his notions of finery and elegance on this his favourite place of indulgence' (p.59). This coffee house is typical of the ornate rococo style in which many coffee houses were built. They were timber-framed, the interiors carved and painted, and often equipped with small decorative fountains to cool the air in summer. Here the customers could drink their coffee while listening to music, have a shave, smoke their pipes, listen to storytellers, meet their friends or just relax.  As these structures were made of wood, they were particularly vulnerable to the terrible fires that broke out frequently in Istanbul. It is doubtful if a single example of a nineteenth century rococo wooden coffee house still survives.","physicalDescription":"Watercolour drawing","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Allom, Thomas","id":"A26735"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour drawing","id":"x37878"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour over pencil heightened with white, with scratching out; stuck down on card","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"},{"text":"Orientalism","id":"x31272"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BU0912","2006AT7298"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SC","shelf":"1","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Istanbul (City)","id":"x33871"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1838","earliest":"1838-01-01","latest":"1838-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"30.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"On back of card, dated and signed July 7. 1838  T.Allom, and inscribed with title","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"According to Rodney Searight: `Sotheby's, Oct.27th. 1965 [114], £16'.","historicalContext":"This image was engraved in Revd Robert Walsh, Constantinople and the scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor, Fisher, [1838 etc.], vol.I, facing p.59, engraved by W.H.Capone. According to the Revd Robert Walsh who wrote the text to the illustrations in Fisher's Constantinople, `The caffinet, or coffee house is something more splendid, and the Turk expends all his notions of finery and elegance on this his favourite place of indulgence' (p.59).","briefDescription":"Watercolour, Interior of a Turkish Coffee House, Constantinople, 1838.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Charles Newton,  `Images of the Ottoman Empire'  2007, p. 107."},{"reference":{"text":"Searight, Rodney and Scarce, Jennifer M., <i>A Middle Eastern journey : artists on their travels from the collection of Rodney Searight,</i> Talbot Rice Art Centre, 1980","id":"AUTH351213"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Searight, Rodney. <i>The Middle East : watercolours and drawings by British and foreign artists and travellers, 1750-1900, from the collection of Rodney Searight, Esq.</i> London, 1971","id":"AUTH351220"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Darby, M, <i>The Islamic Perspective: Aspect of British Architecture and Design in the 19th Century</i>, London, V&A, 1983","id":"AUTH353297"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Coffee House","id":"x40722"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["SD.19"],"accessionNumberNum":"19","accessionNumberPrefix":"SD","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2007-06-21","availableToBook":false}}