James Robertson (1813-88) & Felice Beato (1832-1909)PHOTOGRAPHIC PANORAMA OF CONSTANTINOPLE, 1854-1857, taken from the tower of the War Ministry, Beyazit, two albumenized salt prints (2), image sizes, approx 310mm x 240mm, archivally window mounted, signed and titled by the photographer in each negative.Robertson arrived in Istanbul in 1841 and became the superintendent of the imperial mint. Ten years on, he had a set up a small photography studio in Pera, Constantinople’s historic Levantine district, turning his hobby into a business with his soon to be brother-in-law, Felice Beato. Over the next decade, Robertson & Beato Photography captured an array of Ottoman mosques, fountains, city walls and the multicultural architectural heritage of this imperial capital. In what can surely be described as nothing less than one of the earliest photojournalistic endeavours, mastering the albumen glass plate negative process their images are full of fine detail and sharpness.Reference:Royal Collection:RCIN 2700796National Gallery of Art:2012.137.26