CASTELLAN, Antoine-Laurent. Moeurs, usages, costumes des Othomans, et abrégé de leur histoire; par A. L. Castellan, auteur de Lettres sur la Morée et sur Constantinople; Six vol. In-18... vols Ι-VI, Paris, Nepveu, 1812.

Antoine Laurent Castellan (1772-1838) was a French architect, painter and engraver. He studied landscape painting in Valenciennes, and travelled to Switzerland, Italy and the Ottoman Empire. He made a very short tour of Ottoman territories, principally of Southern Greece and the islands (Zakynthos, Cythera, the Peloponnese and Hydra) as well as Istanbul and the Hellespont.

At the end of the 18th century, during the reign of Sultan Selim III, in an effort to ameliorate relations with the Ottoman empire, France organized an expedition to Istanbul with the mission to repair ships and aid in other tasks in the port of the city. Castellan participated in the mission as a painter.

The expedition was unable to realize its goals, as its members were forced to flee in the face of war, an epidemic, fires and a revolt. Castellan however published his impressions of this voyage, in a text written in epistolary fashion, which circulated in three editions, with numerous engravings based on his drawings.

Unluckily, Castellan’s work circulated at the same time when Pouqueville knew huge editorial success with his own books. Castellan became a member of the Acadèmie des Beaux Arts, to which he dedicated the last years of his life. His work “Moeurs, usages, costumes des Othomans” (1812) was lavishly praised by Lord Byron.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou