Istanbul as far as the eye can see: Views across five centuries = Göz alabildigine Istanbul: Bes asirdan manzaralar. [Exhibition catalogue]. Compiled by Bahattin Öztuncay, Ebru Esra Sativi, Seyda Çetin. Texts by Sven Becker, Zeynep Çelik, Briony Llewellyn, Claude Piening.

Istanbul: Vehbi Koç Foundation / Mesher, 2023. Soft cover. New. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. Paperback. Oblong folio. (32 x 25 cm). In English and Turkish. 289, [7] p., richly color and b/w ills. 1000 copies were printed. The exhibition showcases paintings, engravings, rare books, albums, panoramic photos, and souvenirs that provide a rich visual history of Istanbul. These works from the Ömer Koç Collection were created by diverse individuals, including ship captains, travelers, and architects, offering Western perspectives with varied intentions. Accompanied by quotations from written sources, the exhibition fosters a dialogue between Western viewpoints and Ottoman/Turkish literature, inviting visitors to reflect on the city's diverse narratives and depictions, rather than being a typical ode to Istanbul. Henry Aston Barker's panorama of Istanbul, which he made from the top of the Galata Tower in 1800; an engraving after Philipp Franz von Gudenus's drawing from the roof of the Swedish Embassy in 1741, sketched when he was stationed in Istanbul; and Joseph Schranz's panorama from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara: these are only some of the images now showcased at Mesher. The works of James Robertson, known to have taken the earliest 360-degree panoramic photographs of Istanbul, are also on display, including his panorama taken from the Bayezid Tower in May 1854 and presented in an album that bears the artist's signature. The oldest work in the exhibition is the Liber chronicarum (1493) by Hartmann Schedel, and among the most recent is an album (1922-1924) of original designs and drawings by Alexandre V. Pankoff. The panoramic views that enable us to see Istanbul from end to end and top to bottom in Istanbul as Far as the Eye Can See contain many interesting details as well. Shopkeepers in local dress, women making excursions in ox-drawn carriages, Europeans distinguishable by their hats, children, and four-legged friends of the city complete Istanbul's historical silhouette.