The Scribe

Scribes often constituted one of the favourite subjects of Orientalist artists who visited İstanbul. Drafting petitions to official institutions or personal letters for the predominantly illiterate population for a fee, the scribes usually worked in locations close to public institutions, mosque and madrasa courtyards, and coffee houses. The scribes provided an ideal opportunity for Western artists to observe Ottoman women outside the house; interestingly enough, the artists often preferred to depict the women rather than the men, who requested petitions. In this scribe scene by Starck, which takes place in a venue that evokes a stage design defined by architectural elements, an Ottoman woman is portrayed surrounded by a number of men paying attention to her.