Some 190 years ago, the Danish painter Martinus Rørbye (1803–1848) and Danish architect Gottlieb Bindesbøll (1800–1856) met in Italy. Both were on extended journeys abroad, and they decided to continue their travels together, proceeding across Italy to the Greek islands and Athens. From there, they had the opportunity to proceed to Turkey, and in mid-December 1835, they arrived in Smyrna (present-day Izmir). After a brief stay there, Rørbye and Bindesbøll set out for Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). There, they each created a significant number of sketches, primarily depicting everyday life and architecture, and both evinced keen interest in the culture and the people they encountered along the way. On 1 February 1836, they left Constantinople to continue their travels.
