Bedros Sirabyan (1833 – 1898) was an Ottoman painter of

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

n descent. He was also known as ''Monsieur Pierre''.

Life

Bedros Sirabyan was born in the Ortakoy district of

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

Ottoman Turkey The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Central Euro ...

. In 1849 he attended the prestigious Jemaran Armenian Lyceum in Uskudar. At the school, he illustrated the bimonthly school magazine. After graduating, he completed his education in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, and then returned to

, where he worked as an artist for the

Balyans The Balyan family (; ) was a prominent Armenian family in the Ottoman Empire of court architects in the service of Ottoman sultans and other members of the Ottoman dynasty during the 18th and 19th centuries. For five generations, they designe ...

, the family famous for architecture. He executed painted decorations for the Yeni Theatre in Beyoglu, the Nersesyan Mansion (now the Greek Consulate), Tasciyan House (Proti Hotel) on Kinaliada, gilded interior decorations of the

Dolmabahçe Palace Dolmabahçe Palace ( ) is a 19th-century imperial palace located in Istanbul, Turkey, along the European shore of the Bosporus, which served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922. Histor ...

, and the section of the Yildiz Kosk allocated to Kaiser Wilhelm during his state visit to Istanbul. He taught art at

Robert College The American Robert College of Istanbul ( or ), often abbreviated as Robert or RC, is a Selective school, highly selective, Independent school, independent, mixed-sex education, co-educational, Education in Turkey#Private schools, private Second ...

, the Berberyan Lyceum, and other Armenian schools, and gave art lessons to the architect Nerses Bey. He did a large portrait of

Sultan Abdulaziz Abdulaziz (; ; 8 February 18304 June 1876) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 25 June 1861 to 30 May 1876, when he was overthrown in a government coup. He was a son of Sultan Mahmud II and succeeded his brother Abdulmejid I in 1861. Ab ...

, and is said to have been described as the "Small

Ivan Aivazovsky Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (; ) was a Russian Romantic painter who is considered one of the greatest masters of marine art. Baptized as Hovhannes Aivazian, he was born into an Armenian family in the Black Sea port of Feodosia in Crime ...

" by the sultan. His studio was at 16 Çaylak Street in

Pera Pera may refer to: Places * Pera (Beyoğlu), a district in Istanbul formerly called Pera, now called Beyoğlu ** Galata, a neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, often referred to as Pera in the past * Pêra (Caparica), a Portuguese locality in the district o ...

.Annuaire oriental du commerce, de l'industrie, de l'administration et de la magistrature 1893-1894 His other notable works include ''The Cemetery'', ''The Turkish Coffeehouse'', and ''The Young Siblings''. At the end of 1893 he was invited by

Khrimian Hayrik Mkrtich Khrimian ( classical ; 4 April 182029 October 1907) was an Armenian Apostolic Church leader, educator, and publisher who served as Catholicos of All Armenians from 1893 to 1907. During this period he was known as Mkrtich I of Van (Մկր ...

Echmiatsin Vagharshapat ( ) is the 5th-largest city in Armenia and the most populous municipal community of Armavir Province, located about west of the capital Yerevan, and north of the closed Turkish-Armenian border. It is commonly known as Ejmiatsin ...

to decorate specific areas of the church. Sirabyan died in 1898 in

Sofia Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sirabyan, Bedros 1833 births 1898 deaths 19th-century painters from the Ottoman Empire Armenian portrait painters Armenians from the Ottoman Empire Painters from Istanbul 19th-century Armenian painters People from Beşiktaş