Jean Baptiste Van Mour is recorded as having settled in Constantinople in 1699. It is thought that he was invited at the request of the French Ambassador Marquis de Ferriol, who commissioned the artist to paint 100 pictures of the local people. These were later reproduced as engravings, and consequently became very popular. Although the present two portraits do not appear to be after particular examples from this series, they are highly comparable in style.

Oil on canvas; the former inscribed lower left: 'ich ago garde du vizir / dans les Joutes'; the latter inscribed lower right: 'garde du vizir au camp'; each unframed: 33.6 x 24.4 cm; 13¼ x 9⅝ in; each framed: 39.1 x 30.5 cm; 15½ x 12 in.