Mahmud Celaleddin Paşa

This portrait of the Ottoman statesman Mahmud Celaleddin Paşa (1839-1899), who for a while was Minister of Finance and Commerce, is signed by Stavrakis, who is thought to be an Ottoman painter of Cretan origin. In 1892, when this painting was done, Mahmud Celaleddin Paşa was governor of the isle of Crete. He is depicted in his ceremonial uniform, over which he wears a cross shoulder strap and his medals and decorations of orders. Among these we see gold and silver medals for merit, the Cretan Medal, the Mecidi Şemse, the Murassa Nişan-ı Osmani Şemse, the Şir-u Hurşid Nişan and some other foreign orders. He wears the first-class Mecidi Order hanging from his neck.