American Painting and Sculpture

JOHN SINGER SARGENT
(American, 1856-1925)

Interior of Hagia Sophia, 1891
Oil on canvas
Museum purchase 1960.5

In April 1891, John Singer Sargent visited Istanbul, Turkey. There he painted two oil sketches of the interior of Hagia Sophia, a Christian church built during the sixth century and famous for its enormous dome and light-filled interior. The Church of Hagia Sophia (or Divine Wisdom) later was converted into a mosque following the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453.

According to an account published in 1925, Sargent bribed an official to gain access to Hagia Sophia. He made this sketch in the early morning, just as warm, golden light began to fill the space. Although he worked rapidly, Sargent still was able to capture perfectly the grandeur and mystery of the building’s expansive interior.