The Tower of Leander (Kız Kulesi), Constantinople

The Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi), was also known in Byzantine times as the Tower of Leandros (Leander's Tower). These names refer to different romantic legends about the origin of the building, located on a small islet at the southern entrance of Bosphorus strait, 200 metres off the coast of Üsküdar in Istanbul. The present building dates from the eighteenth century, and has served as a place of quarantine, a customs post and a lighthouse. Although small, it is so distinctive that it is immediately recognisable in any image of this part of the Bosphorus, featuring prominently in the view towards the mouth of the Golden Horn in the distance. Preziosi’s keen observation of everyday city life is evident in the foreground: a group of men and women with their merchandise are awaiting a ferry.
We are grateful to Briony Llewellyn and Charles Newton for their assistance in cataloguing the present lot.