The fountain of Sultan Ahmed III on the great square in front of the Imperial Gate of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul

Description

Featured in the 1836 collaborative work of Thomas Allom and Robert Walsh, this steel engraving depicts the heart of the Ottoman capital: Hagia Sophia Square, the Imperial Gate (Bab-ı Hümayun) of Topkapı Palace, and the masterpiece of the Tulip Era, the Sultan Ahmed III Public Fountain. While the monumental fountain, impressive with its elegant stonework and wide eaves, is situated in the center, the majestic palace gate representing the state rises in the background. In the foreground, state officials on horseback, and civilians gathering around the fountain, drinking coffee, and resting are illustrated. This visual objectively documents how, in Ottoman urban philosophy, the absolute authority of the state (the palace gate) established its connection with the public in a transparent and aesthetic manner through social welfare and water architecture (the endowment fountain).