Western harbour of the island of Samos

  • Translation

Article ID EUK3099

Title

Western harbour of the island of Samos

Description

Striking view of a harbour of the western part of Samos, a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of Asia Minor. Very rare Aquatinat of the western part of the island.

Year

dated 1810

Artist

Bouyer

Historical Description

In ancient times Samos was an important trade center and of great importance for shipping. In the age of Hellenism, Samos belonged first to the dominion of Antigonos Monophthalmos, then to that of Lysimachus, and then for a long time passed to Ptolemaic Egypt, for which the island was an important naval base. With Antiochos the Great and Mithridates it fought against Rome and was united with the Roman province of Asia in 84 BC. Thus it was part of the Roman Empire. In 1475 it fell to the Ottoman Empire. Under Ottoman rule, the island was called Turkish Sisam adası. After the fall of Constantinople, Genoa could no longer provide security. Constant pirate raids and pressure from the Ottoman Empire caused Genoa to abandon many colonies and settlements in the Black Sea and Aegean, including Samos, in 1475. As a result, almost all the inhabitants left the island and settled in the Genoese colony of Chios, and in some cases in Asia Minor. As a result of the Russo-Turkish War, favorable conditions for shipping and trade were achieved in the peace treaty of Küçük Kaynarca. Merchants from Samos were able to trade the main products olive oil and wine first in the ports of Smyrna and Constantinople, later also in Russia and Egypt, and at the end of the 18th century also in Europe, mainly in France. Through contacts with European ports, merchants picked up and spread the progressive ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, settlements that sprang up along the sea were oriented toward trade and the opportunities offered by their seaside location. One of these settlements was the port of Samos, where mainly merchants from the Ionian islands settled.

Place of Publication London
Dimensions (cm)25,5 x 33,5 cm
ConditionPerfect condition
Coloringoriginal colored
TechniqueCopper print- Aquatinta

Reproduction:

142.50 €

( A reproduction can be ordered individually on request. )