Ahmet Ertug, The Library of St. Florian Abbey, Austria, 2009. photo courtesy Philips de Pury & Co

Lightjet print, flush-mounted. 180 x 221.5 cm (70 7/8 x 87 1/4 in).  Signed in ink, printed title, date and number 1/3 on an artist's label affixed to the reverse of the frame. One from an edition of 3 plus 1 artist's proof. ESTIMATE £20,000-30,000

PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist

EXHIBITED Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Temples du savoir, 12 May-12 July 2009 (another example exhibited)

LITERATURE A. Ertug, Temples of Knowledge: Libraries of the Western World, 2009, pp. 86-87

NOTE Ahmet Ertug, who trained as an architect, has left his sketches and drafts behind to absorb images through his camera. It is no longer about the construction of a building but recording the space and environment the building occupies which is now his concern. He is seduced by the monumental and the sumptuous, drawn to the decadence of Byzantium, Istanbul, and the buildings of the great Turkish architect Sinan, among others – he lights them as they were originally visualised when they were first built, understanding their function and providing us with a better grasp of their ethereal worth and beauty. We are sent on a journey by Ertug which allows us to discover all the small spaces and details, exquisitely illuminated, like a gift for our eyes. Opulence is key and every detail is accessible to the viewer. Apart from simply being stunning images, these objects of curiosity have become part of world cultural heritage.

Philips de Pury & Co. Photographs. 3 november 2010. www.phillipsdepury.com