Abdullah Brothers (Abdullah Frères)

Abdullah Frères, a photographic studio founded in the 19th century in the Ottoman capital İstanbul by three Armenian brothers named Vichen (Abdullah Şükrü Efendi), Kevork, and Hovsep. Known as the official photographers of the Ottoman court, the Abdullah Frères documented photography in the capital, capturing portraits of sultans, state officials, and prominent families.

^{Friday Salutation at Hamidiye Mosque, 1889–1902, Abdullah Frères (}Dilruba Kocaışık⁾

Vichen (1820–1902), Hovsep (1830–1908), and Kevork (1839–1918) were members of an Armenian family. Vichen, the first of the brothers to engage in photography, began working with the German artist Rabach after his arrival in 1856 in Istanbul. Following Rabach’s departure from the city, in 1858 the brothers took over his studio and opened their first workshop in Pera (Beyoğlu) under the name “Vincent Abdullah Frères”.

^{Brothers Vichen, Hovsep and Kevork (}Fatih Önen⁾

From 1861 onward, the studio’s name was changed to “Abdullah Frères”. Initially, only the Muslim names of family members were used officially; over time, they converted to Islam in exchange for patronage and favors.

The brothers gained proximity to the court during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz; in 1863, after photographing the sultan, they were granted the title “Ressam-ı Hazret-i Şehriyari”. This portrait, taken at the hunting pavilion in İzmit, was sent to Empress Augusta.

^{Portrait of Sultan Abdülaziz, 1863, Abdullah Frères (}Engin Özendes⁾

The Abdullah Frères continued to undertake important commissions for the court during the reign of II. Abdülhamid. II. Abdülhamid bestowed upon Vichen Abdullah the title “Serfotoğrafi Hazret-i Şehriyar-i”. One year after ascending the throne (1877), they compiled a photographic album containing carte-de-visite portraits of members of the Meclis-i Mebûsan and Meclis-i Âyan. The album includes photographs of 104 deputies, including the President of the Meclis-i Mebûsan, Ahmed Vefik Paşa, and 20 members of the Meclis-i Âyan, including its President, Server Paşa.

While renowned for portrait photography, the Abdullah Frères also photographed cityscapes, monuments, mosques, and palaces, documenting industrial structures and the state’s modernization projects.

Photographs by the Abdullah Frères were displayed at the Sergi-i Umumî-i Osmanî held in 1863 at Sultanahmet Square. Their photographs were exhibited alongside products representing the empire’s manufacturing output.

A panorama taken from the Beyazıt Seraskerlik Kulesi in 1865 was exhibited at the 1867 Paris Exhibition and received acclaim. Portraits of Ottoman state officials and photographs depicting clothing and professions were also displayed. Thanks to this exhibition, the Abdullah Frères became among the first Ottoman photographers to gain recognition in Europe.

Among the brothers’ most famous works are the photographs included in the II. Abdülhamid Gift Albums, sent to the Library of Congress in 1893 and the British Library in 1894. Approximately 80 percent of the images in these albums bear the Abdullah Frères signature.

The albums contain images of Istanbul’s monuments, educational institutions, military structures, and industrial facilities, offering a visual inventory of the Ottoman Empire’s modernization and urbanization. These albums have become one of the principal sources documenting the architectural and social life of 19th-century Istanbul.

The Yıldız Sarayı Photographic Album Collection, compiled during the reign of II. Abdülhamid, provides a systematic visual record of spaces, people, and landscapes across the empire’s central and provincial regions. Photographs taken by the Abdullah Frères hold a significant place within this collection.

Of the 51 albums and 1,819 photographs dated 1893 and identified as gifts from Sultan II. Abdülhamid, 35 albums and 1,291 photographs are attributed to the Abdullah Frères. These albums cover themes such as military modernization, public services, healthcare facilities, educational buildings, industry, urban views, mosques, and tombs.

^{Large Bridge on the Hejaz Railway Line between Amman and Maan, 1903, Abdullah Frères (}Erkan Çiçek⁾

The studio of the Abdullah Frères became a destination for many prominent local and foreign figures of the era. Portraits of numerous monarchs and statesmen—including Empress Eugénie of France, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, Shah Naser al-Din of Iran, and Ottoman sultans Abdülaziz, Murad V, and II. Abdülhamid—were taken by the Abdullah Frères.

^{Cahor Hâkimi Ebubekir, Abdullah Frères (}Büşra Cansız⁾

The photographs of the Abdullah Frères combined the architectural documentation traditions of their time with artistic composition. Panoramic views of Istanbul, detailed architectural shots, and group portraits stand out through technical sharpness and balanced lighting. Although the album printing technique required long exposure times, it produced high-resolution results.

The labels on photographs taken at the studio reflected the multilingual nature of Ottoman society, printed in Turkish, Greek, Armenian, and French.

^{Photograph Taken by Abdullah Frères with Studio Card on Reverse (}Fatih Önen⁾

During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, their close association with Russian generals displeased Sultan II. Abdülhamid, resulting in the revocation of their official court photographer titles. However, in subsequent years they regained favor and were again commissioned by the state for various duties.

In 1886, at the invitation of the Khedive of Egypt, Tevfik Paşa, Kevork and Hovsep opened a branch in Cairo; however, this branch closed in 1895. The Istanbul studio gradually lost prominence after the Constitutional Monarchy, eventually becoming a third-class workshop in Beyoğlu.

As competition in the capital intensified, the studio’s activity declined, and in 1899 the brothers transferred all their equipment to the Sebah and Joallier Studio. Vichen died in 1902, Hovsep in 1908, and Kevork in 1918.

^{Süleymaniye Camii, Abdullah Frères (}Ali Gözeller⁾

The Abdullah Frères played a key role in the institutionalization of Ottoman photography and its international recognition. Their visual works remain among the primary sources documenting the transformation of Ottoman cities at the end of the 19th century. Today, some of the Abdullah Frères’ works are preserved at the Rare Books Library of Istanbul University and the IRCICA Library.