3-052-632 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Sketches in Albania: a street scene in Scutari, 1880. 'Scutari...is the capital of the Pashalik of Northern Albania...perched on broken rising ground, is the cattle market, approached by a steep staired street. This quaint, raking gap of a thoroughfare, as viewed from below, has been selected by the Artist, Mr. Woodville...and coming down the steps towards us, while leading his small highland pack-horse, is a Christian mountaineer. A bold, conspicuous figure, clad in white close-fitting woollen garb and Arab-like head-gear..., he is seen...fully armed with pistols, yataghan, and rifle, in defiance of the law which forbids the Christians to carry arms in the capital...The ragged Turkish soldier, dejectedly sitting on his haunches in the angle of the wall...has parted with half his ration of coarse maize bread, to buy himself some broken tobacco from the woman at the foot of the steps, who sits before her open sack twisting yarn from the tuft of fleecy wool upon her distaff. Opposite the soldier, smoking his cigarette, is a Mollah in gaberdine and turban, speaking...to a cloaked Christian woman...The Mollah is drawn with an umbrella under his arm. It is a recent adjunct to Albanian costume'. Athol Mayhew. From "Illustrated London News", 1880.