Women Drinking Coffee

In this painting, which depicts the “coffee service”, one of the integral rituals of harem life, the lush garments, headpieces and jewelry reflect women’s fashion in the Tulip Age. The decoration of the room resembles Vanmour’s other harem paintings. As often encountered among other works of Vanmour, this particular work has yet another version painted by the artist himself. In the other example, which is slightly larger in size, another female figure is added to the far right. A copy of the same composition attributed to the artist’s school is also featured in this exhibition. All these examples, which were sold to the Europeans who visited İstanbul at that period, indicate the prominence of the Vanmour School.