A view of the Dolma Bachi overlooking the Bosphorus from Pera

Michel François Préault was considered by his contemporaries as one of the most popular topographical artists of his age. He was very much appreciated by the Ottoman court, first arriving in Istanbul in 1796 where he remained until the end of 1798. He then travelled to Athens to work as the personal painter for the British classicist John Tweddel who was touring Greece at the time. Préault stayed on for some time in Athens, creating souvenir views for foreign visitors. He then returned to Istanbul where he remained until 1827. He supplied illustrations for various popular travel books such as: -E.D. Clarke, Travels, London 1810-1823
-Atlas des promenades pittoresques dans Constantinople et sur les rives du Bosphore par M. Charles Pertusier d' après les dessins de M. Pr©ault, Paris, 1817
-Constantinople et le Bosphore de Thrace par le général Adreossy, Paris, 1828