{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O139795"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O139795/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT7399/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT7399/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT7399","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O139795/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O139795","accessionNumber":"SD.123","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Haghia Sophia [Aya Sofia] with the first gate of the Seraglio, Constantinople","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ink and watercolour on laid paper, mounted on modern wove paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"Orientalism","id":"x31272"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AT7399"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"DR","shelf":"187","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1760","earliest":"1755-01-01","latest":"1764-12-31"},"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":"40","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"56.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed on back of former mount A View of San[...cut away] the first gate[...cut away] on the left: a Tu[...cut away] on Horseback with[...cut away]; in a different hand By D.Serres 1782","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"unidentified watermark","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"watermark on paper"}],"objectHistory":"According to Rodney Searight: - `Bt P.S.& N. [Phillips, Son & Neale], Aug.14 1972    £85'.","historicalContext":"Despite the inscription, the style of this watercolour is closer to SD121 & 122 by Borra, than to works by the marine artist Dominic Serres (1722-1793).  It may be a later drawing by Borra, finished by an assistant.  However, stylistic inconsistencies and the lack of known sketches by Borra of Haghia Sophia, argue against the former attribution to his hand.  See Searight Archive. Also, the drawing is possibly a copy by someone who had never seen Aya Sofya, as it is quite inaccurate in scale and detail.","briefDescription":"Watercolour, Haghia Sophia [Aya Sofia] with the first gate of the Seraglio, Constantinople. Formerly attributed to Giovanni Borra. About 1760.","bibliographicReferences":[{"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":"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":"Formerly attributed to Giovanni Battista Borra","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Hagia Sophia","id":"x40410"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["SD.123"],"accessionNumberNum":"123","accessionNumberPrefix":"SD","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-02","recordCreationDate":"2007-10-04","availableToBook":false}}