The cortege of His Excellency the Comte de Castellane through the court of the seraglio

These four works present an episode in the life of Comte Michel-Ange de Castellane, who owned Villandry in the 18th century, and was also a brilliant diplomat, ambassador to Louis XV from 1741 to 1747 with the Ottoman sultan, Mahmud I. These paintings from the Van Mour School, dated 1742, show the customs and the etiquette at the Ottoman court in the 18th century.
The Ambassador and his retinue enter the second Court in Topkapi Palace and discover the Yeniceri (soldiers) during the distribution of their pay. In the foreground, the Ambassador proceeds, followed by his secretaries and gentlemen of his Household. They are preceded by the Palace officers in charge of the protocol (Tchaouchs) and by two interpreters (dragomans) wearing their fur hats.