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A long-lost painting by pioneering Ottoman artist Osman Hamdi Bey, titled Preparing Coffee, is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's in London on April 29. The artwork, dated 1881, is expected to sell for between £1 million-£1.5 million ($1.3 million-$1.9 million) in the prestigious auction house's Orientalist Art sale.
For decades, the painting was known only through a black-and-white photograph taken by the 19th-century Ottoman photography studio Sebah & Joaillier. Until recently, the original artwork was kept in a private collection in Austria.
Claude Piening, Senior International Specialist in European Paintings at Sotheby's, described the painting’s reemergence as a “very unexpected rediscovery.” Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Piening explained how the painting found its way to London:
"It was once held in collections in Georgia and Azerbaijan, so it makes sense that it may have travelled from Istanbul through these countries before arriving in Vienna. A gentleman I’ve known for many years brought it to my attention. He had acquired it from someone who purchased it a few years earlier from a European family who had kept it for nearly 75 years."
The work’s date—1881—marks it as part of Osman Hamdi Bey’s most productive early period, adding to its significance.
Piening highlighted the cultural richness of the painting: “It’s a small-format work, signed in Latin script and dated, suggesting it was made for a European collection rather than a Turkish one. I think it’s a truly beautiful painting—it shows two women respectfully depicted, washing their hands before preparing coffee. You can also see the coffee pot and the cups waiting to be filled."
The theme of Turkish coffee adds to its cultural value, but Piening also emphasized the French academic style in which it was painted. “Osman Hamdi Bey studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in France and introduced this style to local artists in Türkiye. So, the subject is Turkish, but the painting style is European. In that way, the piece really acts as a bridge between cultures.”
The composition is considered a masterclass in Osman Hamdi Bey’s refined aesthetic and deep cultural respect. Set in a richly tiled, columned interior—believed to be a fictional harem inspired by Topkapi Palace—the painting portrays a ritual moment of coffee preparation by two young women.
Adding spiritual and intellectual layers, the upper section of the painting features a calligraphic inscription in Kufi script. The text includes the Basmala and a line from Surah Hud in the Quran: “My success is only by Allah.” This inscription, which also appears in other works by Osman Hamdi Bey, elevates the painting’s meaning beyond the visual.
First acquired around 1910 by Georgian art collector Prince Sadiq Yadigarov, the painting later passed to his son Archil. In the 1930s, it entered the collection of a relative in Vienna through marriage and remained in the family’s possession until 2008.
Piening noted that the estimated price reflects Osman Hamdi Bey’s stature in the global art market: “We’ve seen several of his works sell for over a million pounds in recent years. Given that this piece was only known from a black-and-white photo from the 1880s, this rediscovery deserves such a starting price.”
He also expressed hope for interest from Türkiye, while acknowledging the artist’s global significance. “Osman Hamdi Bey has long surpassed the local market—he stands among the leading Orientalist painters of the 19th century. His works are held in major museums worldwide, and I expect this piece to attract international attention.”
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