A Life Etched in Light: Antoine van der Steen and the Forgotten World of Eighteenth-Century Constantinople Antoine van der Steen, a name that resonates faintly across the centuries, offers a compelling glimpse into a world often overlooked by art historical narratives—the vibrant, cosmopolitan landscape of eighteenth-century Constantinople (modern Istanbul). Born in Bruges, Belgium, in 1657, his life unfolded against a backdrop of burgeoning trade and cultural exchange between Europe and the Ottoman Empire. While biographical details remain somewhat elusive, we know he hailed from an illegit…