{"product_id":"vue-de-linterieur-de-la-citerne-de-yere-batan-serai-michel-francois-preaulx","title":"Vue de l'intérieur de la Citerne de Yéré-Batan-Seraï - Michel François Preaulx","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn architectural study of the Basilica Cistern in Constantinople, rendered in watercolour and ink by Michel François Preaulx in 1814.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work depicts the Basilica Cistern in Constantinople, known in the nineteenth century as the Yéré-Batan-Seraï or the Sunken Palace. Michel François Preaulx, a French artist who spent significant time in the Ottoman Empire, documented the city with precision. His approach combines architectural accuracy with the atmospheric qualities of the subterranean space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition focuses on the repetitive rhythm of the Byzantine columns, which recede into the misty distance. The artist employs a muted palette to capture the damp, cool environment of the cistern. Two figures are positioned in the foreground, providing a sense of scale to the massive stone structure. Their presence directs the viewer's gaze toward the vanishing point, where the light fades into the darkness of the underground reservoir.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreaulx was commissioned by the French ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Horace Sébastiani, to record the city's monuments. This drawing reflects the European fascination with Eastern architecture during the early nineteenth century. The fine ink lines define the capitals and the brickwork of the vaulted ceiling, while the watercolour washes suggest the play of light on the water surface. The work is a record of the site as it appeared in 1814, before later restorations altered its appearance. It remains a document of both the physical structure and the aesthetic interests of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/neo-classical-vases-in-a-landscape-jean-charles-delafosse\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eNeo-classical Vases in a Landscape - Jean Charles Delafosse — Jean Charles Delafosse\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/triumphal-entry-of-the-monuments-of-arts-and-sciences-pierre-gabriel-berthault\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eTriumphal Entry of the Monuments of Arts and Sciences - Pierre Gabriel Berthault — Pierre Gabriel Berthault\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Michel François Preaulx","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58797394198863,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58797409829199,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58797409861967,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58797409894735,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58797409927503,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58797409960271,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58797409993039,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58797410025807,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58797410058575,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58797410091343,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58797410124111,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58797410156879,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Vue-de-l-int-rieur-de-la-Citerne-de-Y-r-Batan-Sera-_Poster_CompositorV1_1789573780930.jpg?v=1789574432","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/vue-de-linterieur-de-la-citerne-de-yere-batan-serai-michel-francois-preaulx","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}