It shows a scene in front of the Mausoleum of Sultan Selim II. This building is one of the 18 tombs built by Architect Sinan. It has the most beautiful examples of stonework, woodwork, tiles and calligraphic arts. Architect Sinan got an order from Sultan Selim II to build a tomb for him. It is known that the tomb could be completed 3 years after death of Sultan Selim II. The facade of the building is coated with marble. Entrance door of the structure has inlaid mother of pearl which is known as Kundekari Style and decorated with geometrical tortoise shells which is an exclusive example of woodwork.

Rudolf Ernst, as he used to do along his career, depicted with many details the Mausoleum as well as life around it. In an other painting, now in private collection that was exhibited during the Paris’ Salon in 1891 (see the photo attached) he described the same place but with a different perspective that allowed him to depict the view around it.

In our painting, the painter focused on the building itself with a fantastic sense of details, as we can see from the photo of the Mausoleum took circa 1900. He animated the place by the presence of a public writer and a watermelon merchant in front of the building as well as a wise man going out of the Mausoleum.