SIRAT Joseph (1869-1937?). Pair of satirical portraits of Abdülhamid II and Kheireddine Pacha. Circa 1910. Oil on canvas. Signed lower left for one and on the right. Dim. 220 x 60cm. Born in a circus, Joseph SIRAT was orphaned at an early age. He was then sold into slavery in Constantinople, Turkey, before being sold into slavery to Ahmed 1er in Tunis. His good education enabled him to make a name for himself at court, and to embark on a military and political career. A true reformer of the Maghreb and Tunisia in particular, he was deeply committed to his task, but was drawn back to Turkey by political events. Nevertheless, he carried out important economic reforms. In the cage held by the character, we can assume that this is Mustapha Khaznadar, the Bey's treasurer, who embezzled colossal sums in Tunisia for decades and whom Kheireddine brought down in 1873 with overwhelming evidence. Abdülhamid is considered the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Indeed, in 1909 he abdicated in the face of the threat from the "Young Turk" party. This was followed by the dismemberment of the Empire over several years. The painting probably shows his departure from Turkey for exile in Thessalonica, Greece.