Object History
Exhibited:
Salon des artistes français, ‘Janissaire du Sultan Mahmoud II’, buste en bronze, (no. 6395), Paris, 1880.
The janissaries (Yeniçeri) were the elite military corps established to serve and protect the Ottoman sultan and his household. Known as kapıkulları, or “servants of the Porte,” they were originally recruited through the devşirme system from the diverse Christian populations of the Ottoman Empire, converted to Islam, and trained as an exceptionally disciplined military force. Over time, their privileged position at court transformed them into a powerful social and political class.
In this striking portrait, Guillemin depicts a janissary of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, capturing his commanding presence through the proud inclination of the head, unwavering gaze, and carefully observed physiognomy. The sculpture conveys both the authority of the individual sitter and the legendary status associated with this elite Ottoman institution.
The janissaries’ growing influence ultimately led to their downfall. After playing a decisive role in the accession of Sultan Mahmud II (1785–1839), they resisted his attempts to introduce a modern European-style military reform. Their rebellion in 1826 resulted in the destruction of their barracks by artillery fire in the event known as the Auspicious Incident (Vak’a-i Hayriye). Thousands were killed, survivors were exiled or executed, and the order was permanently abolished.
The dramatic history and exoticised image of the janissaries made them a compelling subject for 19th-century Orientalist artists. Guillemin was among the most successful French sculptors working in this tradition, exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salon and dedicating his later career almost exclusively to Orientalist subjects. His bronze ‘Janissaire du Sultan Mahmoud II’ was exhibited at the Salon of 1880 (no. 6395).
A related bronze example, paired with the female bust ‘Femme Kabyle d’Algérie’ (1884), was sold from the Estate of Rochelle Sepenuk, Sotheby’s New York, 21 October 2008, lot 92, achieving $1,202,500.
It should be noted that some auction records have incorrectly applied the title ‘Janissaire du Sultan Mahmoud II’ to another Guillemin work, ‘Zeibeck, soldat irrégulier turc des environs de Smyrne (type de l’Asie Mineure)’, exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1879 (no. 5082). The latter depicts a Zeybek, an irregular Turkish soldier from western Anatolia, identifiable by his distinctive reddish felt helmet known as a kabalak, and should not be confused with a janissary.
A superb example of Guillemin’s mastery of portrait sculpture and Orientalist subject matter, this bust combines historical significance, exceptional modelling, and the enduring fascination of the Ottoman world in 19th-century European art.
Émile-Coriolan-Hippolyte Guillemin
Born in Paris in 1841, Émile-Coriolan-Hippolyte Guillemin was the son of sculptor Émile-Marie-Auguste Guillemin and studied under both his father and Jean-Jules Salmson. Exhibiting at the Salon from 1870, he initially presented subjects drawn from antiquity before becoming celebrated for his refined Orientalist sculptures depicting figures from the Middle East and Asia. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Guillemin avoided idealised or exoticised interpretations, instead creating carefully observed and dignified portrayals of his subjects.
Working in the tradition of nineteenth-century Orientalist sculpture alongside artists such as Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier, Guillemin employed richly coloured patinas and polychrome techniques to enhance the character and individuality of his figures. His work, often produced in collaboration with leading foundries such as Barbedienne, ranged from intimate portrait busts to monumental decorative sculptures, including his celebrated torchères Indienne et Persane of 1872.
Today, Guillemin is recognised as a significant nineteenth-century sculptor whose work is distinguished by its technical excellence and remarkable sensitivity to cultural identity. His celebrated portrait busts, including Janissaire du Sultan Mahmoud II and Femme Kabyle d’Algerie, demonstrate his exceptional ability to capture the character and presence of his sitters with honesty and refinement.
