Vue de Constantinople, Prise de la Mer de Marmara.

A fine view of Constantinople by one of the leading topographical artists of the day.

Louis-François Cassas studied under artists from opposite ends of the eighteenth century artistic spectrum, including Joseph-Marie Vien, a Neoclassical painter, and Rococo painters such as Jean-Baptiste Le Prince. In 1778 Cassas went to Italy, visiting and sketching Rome,Venice, Naples, and Sicily. In 1784 Cassas accompanied the Comte de Choiseul-Gouffier (1752-1817) to Constantinople, where the latter had been appointed ambassador.