Clara Barthold Mayer

Swiss artist

Clara Barthold Mayer (born in Switzerland during the late 18th century) was an Orientalist painter who worked in Istanbul. She was married to the Italian-German painter, Luigi Mayer.

Biography

It is believed that her father was serving as a dragoman for the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Sir Robert Ainslie.^[1] While there, she met the painter, Luigi Mayer, a friend of the Ambassador, and married him; becoming his assistant.^[2]

In 1794, she and Luigi moved to England, where they continued to produce watercolors designed for engraving. Clara concentrated on landscapes and her first works were published by J. Harris of London that same year. Luigi painted her portrait in Turkish clothes. A series of twenty-seven views of Istanbul and its environs were engraved by Thomas Milton and published by Thomas Bensley of Fleet Street, for the Bowyer Historic Gallery, Pall Mall, in 1801.

After Luigi's death in 1803, she continued painting, at their home in Portman Square; devoting much of her time to publishing and promoting their works.^[3]

Many of her compositions were engraved by John William Edy, and may be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Her works may also be seen at the Pera Museum in Istanbul.^[4]

References

^ Küçükhasköylü, Nurdan. "18. Yüzyıl Sonunda İstanbul Sanat Ortamı ve Kozmas Komidas Kömürciyan" (PDF). The Journal of Academic Social Science Yıl: 3, Sayı: 9, Mart 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
^ Yazman, Derya (13 July 2011). "Clara ve Luigi Mayer'in Resimlerinde 18. Yüzyıl İstanbulu". Arkitera.com sitesi. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
^ "Clara & Luigi Mayer" (in Turkish). İstanbul: Pera Müzesi. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
^ "Uzak İzlenimler Clara ve Luigi Mayer'in Resimlerinde 18. Yüzyıl İstanbulu" (in Turkish). İstanbul: İstanbul Araştırmaları Enstitüsü. 2011. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.