(Bisceglie 1843–1930 Istanbul) Along the Golden Horn, Constantinople, signed, dated and inscribed L. De Mango, 1884, Galata, oil on canvas, laid down on board, 31 x 45.5 cm, framed, (GG)

We are grateful to Erol Makzume for confirming the authenticity of the painting on the basis of a photograph.

Along the Golden Horn is a rich example of De Mango’s scenes of daily life in Istanbul, painted when the artist was at the height of his career.
After a trip to Syria in 1874, he settled in Beirut where he painted a large number of landscapes and seascapes. He ventured well beyond the beaten track, visiting countries such as Egypt, and Tripoli.
He then moved to Istanbul in 1883 where he lived for almost 50 years. As did Fausto Zonaro, De Mango chose Istanbul as his home.
He established a successful studio which became the place frequented by travellers looking for views of Istanbul.
He was captivated by the culture and the daily activities of its people, such as street barbers, public scribes and fishermen. In the present lot, for example, he portrays a group of fishermen with a man standing under a large parasol, watching them. Next to him is another man, smoking the Nargile, a popular water pipe in Turkey.

The architecture in the background can be identified as the Yeni Cami on the left and the Süleymaniye Mosque on the right, located on the Third Hill of the city.
It was most probably painted near the Galata Tower, to the north of the Golden Horn.
The artist paid little attention to the architecture; for him the most important aspect was the use of colour and the depiction of the everyday life of city folk. He was captivated by the local colour, the light of the sky and customs, as demonstrated in the present lot.