A striking contrast of light and shadow defines this portrait, with bright illumination on Sultan Mahmud I's golden attire and white turban, making him prominent against the darker backdrop. Painted by Jean Baptiste Vanmour around 1730-1737, this oil on canvas depicts the Ottoman ruler in a fur-lined kaftan and a kâtibî turban, holding a mace. Mahmud was known to be less worldly than his uncle, Ahmed III, who had to abdicate in 1730 following an uprising against his extravagant lifestyle. The detailed scene, with its architectural elements and background figures, would enhance a traditionally furnished living room or a library.