(I) VUE DES ISLES DES PRINCES; (II) VUE DE L'ISLE DE TÉNÉDOS, DANS L'ARCHIPEL; (III) PRAIRIE DE BUYUK-DÉRÉ; (IV) VUE DU VILLAGE DE TARAPIA, SUR LA RIVE EUROPÉENE DU BOSPHORE; (V) VUE DE L'ARSENAL DE CONSTANTINOPLE
(i) signed Dessiné par Melling lower left margin; inscribed Gravé a l'eau f.te par Pillement fils lower centre margin; inscribed Terminé par Duparc lower right margin; (ii) signed Dessiné par Melling lower left margin; inscribed Gravée a l'eau f.te par Schroeder et le Rouge lower centre margin; inscribed Terminé par Duparc lower right margin; (iii) signed Dessiné par Melling lower left margin; inscribed Gravé a l'eau f.te par Pillement fils lower centre margin; inscribed Terminé par Pillement lower right margin; (iv) signed Dessiné par Melling lower left margin; inscribed Gravé a l'eau f.te par Schroeder et le Rouge lower centre margin; inscribed Terminé par Schroeder lower right margin; (v) signed Dessiné par Melling lower left margin; inscribed Gravé a l'eau forte par Schroeder et Coiny lower centre margin; inscribed Terminé par Schroeder lower right margin
each etching with engraving with later hand-colouring on paper with vertical crease where previously bound
(i & ii) 45 x 81cm; 17 3/4 x 31 3/4in (plate); 64.5 x 100.5cm; 25 1/2 x 39 1/2in (framed)
(iii) 43 x 65.5cm; 17 x 25 3/4in (plate); 62.5 x 82.5cm; 14 1/2 x 32 1/2in (framed)
(iv) 43 x 70cm; 17 x 27 1/2in (plate); 62.5 x 89cm; 24 1/2 x 35in (framed)
(v) 50 x 93cm; 19 3/4 x 36 1/2in (plate); 69.5 x 112cm; 27 1/4 x 44in (framed)
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Property from a Private Collection, Surrey

Provenance
Acquired prior to 1990

The present five coloured engravings of views of the Bosphorus are after Melling's series of 48 engravings Voyage pittoresque de Constantinople et des rives du Bosphore, published in Paris between 1809 and 1819. Each engraving was based on a watercolour by Melling of which only very few survive. The scenes are mostly topographical reflecting Melling's factual style. The watercolours were originally exhibited at the Paris Salon with huge success, some being acquired by Empress Josephine.

Melling trained in Germany in architecture and painting and travelled to Constantinople in 1784 at the age of nineteen where he became part of the Russian Ambassador's retinue. He remained there for the following eighteen years, his extended stay allowing him to experience life in the Ottoman court. He was appointed architect to Hatice Sultan, the sister of Sultan Selim III (1761-1808), gaining the favour of the Sultan himself when he was granted permission to study the interior of the Harem and other palaces. After Turkey Melling moved to Paris he became landscape painter to Empress Josephine and set up an engraving studio to produce editions of his drawings. He commissioned some of Paris' finest engravers to work on the Voyage pittoresque de Constantinople.