拍品專文
These recently discovered masterpieces (see also lot 105) by Crépin illustrate the Battle of Monte-Santo, a turning point in the Ottoman-Russian War (1807-1812) which helped to save Constantinople from Russian occupation.
In 1806, Sultan III, of Turkey, deposed the Wallachian and Moldavian princes without the consent of Russia, and closed the Dardanelles and the Bosphorous to Russian vessels. For centuries, the Czars had desired to annex the straits so as to reach the Mediterranean, and thus with the British alliance, the opportunity arose. The British ultimatum demanded the expulsion of General Sebastian, Napoleon's ambassador to Constantinople, and the surrender of the Turkish fleet, together with the forts at the Dardanelles to Admiral Duckworth, the British commander. On January 17th, 1807, war was declared between the two alliances, soon after the Sultan's rejection of the ultimatum and the departure of the British Ambassador from Istanbul. The Russian and British navies arrrived at Tenedos (Bozcarda) and on February 19th, eleven British vessels under Duckworth's command crossed the Dardanelles. The admiral, however, allowed himself to be embroiled in drawn out diplomatic negotiations thereby granting the Turks time to improve their fortifications. The British had to retreat beyond the Dardanelles and Constantinople was saved from British occupation.
During one of the Sultan's visits to the fortifications, he met Seydi Ali Bey, known as "The Algerian," due to time spent with the Algerian regiment. Although his position was only one of the principal palace doorkeepers, the Sultan was deeply impressed by his self-confidence in proclaiming that the British Navy could be destroyed by a pair of vessels. Consequently, he was appointed Admiral of the twenty vessel navy as well as Governor of Algeria, and was posted to Bechitktash to protect Constantinople from possible British attacks.
The strong influence of France combined with the Sultan's attempted reorganizations provoked a strong reaction from the conservative coalition of the Janissaries, the Ulaniã (men of religious learning) and others affected by his reforms. Selim lacked the conviction to enforce the measures and discharged his advisors. These factors, combined with the British attacks on the city, had a severe effect on his people and yet, in spite of the difficulties 7500 men were recruited for the navy. After five days of battle, the British retreated to Tenedos, where they joined the twenty-two Russian vessel navy. The Russian Admiral Seniavin proposed to Duckworth to recross the Straits and to counterattack Istanbul. However, prudence led the British to decline, the Russians proceeding to seize Tenedor and to raid commercial shipping around the islands.
Our pictures illustrate the subsequent encounter at the Battle of Monte-Santo (Mont-Athos) in the Aegean islands. Seniavin blockaded the Dardanelles and on April 5th, "The Algerian" set sail with a fleet of eighteen vessels, on June 19th and according to Turkish tradition, destroyed part of the Russian flotilla. The outcome of the battle however has been disputed by Russian naval historians, the encounter being referred to as "The Russian Trafalgar". In the left background of the first painting, the Sedd-Al-Bakr and two other ships are on fire and the commander, Captain Bey is being led to Admiral Seniavin's vessel, the Turkish ensign being dragged behind the launch. The second painting illustrates a broadside encounter between Russian and Turkish vessels with Monte-Santo beyond, and other ships from the Russian flotilla to the left. Despite the apparent Russian dominance in Crépin's interpretations, neither side was able to gain a complete victory, although the Russian navy was forced to lift the blockade.
The minor success for the Turks did not prevent the Sultan from having to abolish his new order. The chief Mufti declared that as his government had "introduced among Moslems the manners of infidels and had shown an intention to suppress the Jainissaries, the true defenders of the law and the prophets of "the Sultan should be deposed in the interests of the Moslem religion and the house of Osman." His younger cousin, Mustafa IV emerged to the throne and following an attempted coup by Selim's most notable supporter Mustafa Bayrakdar, had the imprisoned Sultan strangled. He himself was immediately deposed and his brother succeded him as Mahmoud II in July 1808.
During Mustafa's short reign, an armistice was signed in August, named the Treaty of Tilsit, between Tsar Alexander I and Napoleon. This announced an about-turn in the latter's policy in the region, as he undertook to mediate a peace between Russia and Turkey, if Alexander would withdraw his troops from Wallachia and Moldavia. However the truce had little effect and the war continued fitfully. The preoccupation of Great Britain and Russia with Napoleon eventually detracted their efforts away from Turkey and on January 5, 1809, the Ottomans made peace with Britain (Peace of the Dardanelles) and with Russia on May 28, 1812 (Treaty of Bucharest). By presenting internal reforms as a restoration of the military system against encroaching foreign powers rather than as infidel innovations. Mahmoud finally supressed the power of the Janissaries and provided stability within the Empire.
Crépin was a pupil of Claude Joseph Vernet, and derived his interest in historical subjects from Baron Regnault. Charles Lenomant in an article on Les Artistes Contemporains et Salons de 1831 et 1833 refers to the artist as '..le chef d'une école où les navies eussent été tout et la mer peu de choses.' However this comment fails to accept Crépin's ambitions as a recorder of important naval encounters rather than as a Romantic, despite his vernetesque treatment of light. He may be viewed as a quasi official court painter to the Empire and at the begining of the Restoration, when he painted Louis XVI in the Port of Cherbourg (Musée de Marine, Paris).
In 1806, Sultan III, of Turkey, deposed the Wallachian and Moldavian princes without the consent of Russia, and closed the Dardanelles and the Bosphorous to Russian vessels. For centuries, the Czars had desired to annex the straits so as to reach the Mediterranean, and thus with the British alliance, the opportunity arose. The British ultimatum demanded the expulsion of General Sebastian, Napoleon's ambassador to Constantinople, and the surrender of the Turkish fleet, together with the forts at the Dardanelles to Admiral Duckworth, the British commander. On January 17th, 1807, war was declared between the two alliances, soon after the Sultan's rejection of the ultimatum and the departure of the British Ambassador from Istanbul. The Russian and British navies arrrived at Tenedos (Bozcarda) and on February 19th, eleven British vessels under Duckworth's command crossed the Dardanelles. The admiral, however, allowed himself to be embroiled in drawn out diplomatic negotiations thereby granting the Turks time to improve their fortifications. The British had to retreat beyond the Dardanelles and Constantinople was saved from British occupation.
During one of the Sultan's visits to the fortifications, he met Seydi Ali Bey, known as "The Algerian," due to time spent with the Algerian regiment. Although his position was only one of the principal palace doorkeepers, the Sultan was deeply impressed by his self-confidence in proclaiming that the British Navy could be destroyed by a pair of vessels. Consequently, he was appointed Admiral of the twenty vessel navy as well as Governor of Algeria, and was posted to Bechitktash to protect Constantinople from possible British attacks.
The strong influence of France combined with the Sultan's attempted reorganizations provoked a strong reaction from the conservative coalition of the Janissaries, the Ulaniã (men of religious learning) and others affected by his reforms. Selim lacked the conviction to enforce the measures and discharged his advisors. These factors, combined with the British attacks on the city, had a severe effect on his people and yet, in spite of the difficulties 7500 men were recruited for the navy. After five days of battle, the British retreated to Tenedos, where they joined the twenty-two Russian vessel navy. The Russian Admiral Seniavin proposed to Duckworth to recross the Straits and to counterattack Istanbul. However, prudence led the British to decline, the Russians proceeding to seize Tenedor and to raid commercial shipping around the islands.
Our pictures illustrate the subsequent encounter at the Battle of Monte-Santo (Mont-Athos) in the Aegean islands. Seniavin blockaded the Dardanelles and on April 5th, "The Algerian" set sail with a fleet of eighteen vessels, on June 19th and according to Turkish tradition, destroyed part of the Russian flotilla. The outcome of the battle however has been disputed by Russian naval historians, the encounter being referred to as "The Russian Trafalgar". In the left background of the first painting, the Sedd-Al-Bakr and two other ships are on fire and the commander, Captain Bey is being led to Admiral Seniavin's vessel, the Turkish ensign being dragged behind the launch. The second painting illustrates a broadside encounter between Russian and Turkish vessels with Monte-Santo beyond, and other ships from the Russian flotilla to the left. Despite the apparent Russian dominance in Crépin's interpretations, neither side was able to gain a complete victory, although the Russian navy was forced to lift the blockade.
The minor success for the Turks did not prevent the Sultan from having to abolish his new order. The chief Mufti declared that as his government had "introduced among Moslems the manners of infidels and had shown an intention to suppress the Jainissaries, the true defenders of the law and the prophets of "the Sultan should be deposed in the interests of the Moslem religion and the house of Osman." His younger cousin, Mustafa IV emerged to the throne and following an attempted coup by Selim's most notable supporter Mustafa Bayrakdar, had the imprisoned Sultan strangled. He himself was immediately deposed and his brother succeded him as Mahmoud II in July 1808.
During Mustafa's short reign, an armistice was signed in August, named the Treaty of Tilsit, between Tsar Alexander I and Napoleon. This announced an about-turn in the latter's policy in the region, as he undertook to mediate a peace between Russia and Turkey, if Alexander would withdraw his troops from Wallachia and Moldavia. However the truce had little effect and the war continued fitfully. The preoccupation of Great Britain and Russia with Napoleon eventually detracted their efforts away from Turkey and on January 5, 1809, the Ottomans made peace with Britain (Peace of the Dardanelles) and with Russia on May 28, 1812 (Treaty of Bucharest). By presenting internal reforms as a restoration of the military system against encroaching foreign powers rather than as infidel innovations. Mahmoud finally supressed the power of the Janissaries and provided stability within the Empire.
Crépin was a pupil of Claude Joseph Vernet, and derived his interest in historical subjects from Baron Regnault. Charles Lenomant in an article on Les Artistes Contemporains et Salons de 1831 et 1833 refers to the artist as '..le chef d'une école où les navies eussent été tout et la mer peu de choses.' However this comment fails to accept Crépin's ambitions as a recorder of important naval encounters rather than as a Romantic, despite his vernetesque treatment of light. He may be viewed as a quasi official court painter to the Empire and at the begining of the Restoration, when he painted Louis XVI in the Port of Cherbourg (Musée de Marine, Paris).