The fountain in this painting dated 1910 was commissioned by the Vizier İbrahim Pasha in 1141/1728-29, on the order of the celebrated Sultan Ahmed III (r. 1703-30) of the period known as ‘The Tulip Era.’ It was built in the square in front of the first gate, known as ‘Bab-ıHümayun’ of the Topkapı Palace.
The fountain exhibits all decorative motifs of the Ottoman royal workshop of the first half of the 18th century. On the upper walls is the long poem of 14 quatrains by the contemporary poet Seyyid Vehbi. All the decorative details of the structure, including the inscription in talik script are clearly visible. On the façade are the verses praising the Sultan: ‘He is the beloved subject of Allah, in him shines the fairness of Omar the Caliph, the generosity of Ali the Caliph and the morals of Muhammad the Prophet... he rules in all countries, he is victorious over a thousand Alexanders, the Greek, Arab and Persian lands abide by him, he is Allah’s shadow on earth...’
Şevket Dağ has painted the façade facing Bab-ı Hümayun of this extremely elegant monumental structure with two women in long outer gowns (feraces) to one side. Like many of the artist’s works, this painting also has a documentary quality. The sky –usually seen on the upper part of a painting in traditional art– is painted to the left of the composition, which gives the work an exceptional quality. The focal point is hidden in the sky, thereby creating a deep perspective perception and widening the pictorial space of the painting. The artist’s signature is at the bottom right corner in Arabic script (‘Şevket’) and Latin (‘Chevket 1910’).
