Exploring Different Aspects of Ottoman Art

By sponsoring the most renowned artists of the time, Ottoman sultans and statesmen ensured that extraordinary works of art were created.

During the Tulip Period, the influences of Western art made its way into Ottoman art. This influence was felt in every part it, from architecture to handicrafts, until 1922.

The museum boasts a rich collection that allows visitors to examine every phase of Ottoman art.

The embellishments on this wooden Quran stand, covered with ebony veneer, were created using inlay techniques with ivory, ebony, bone, and silver wire.

Both the outer and inner surfaces of the Quran stand are divided into rectangular panels. These panels are adorned with various geometric motifs, including ten-pointed stars and polygons around the arms.

Zübdet'üt Tevarih, written by the palace chronicler Seyyid Lokma, is a history book that covers the history of religions and the Islamic countries.

The book contains 40 miniatures, most of which take up the entire page. These miniatures depict a variety of subjects related to Islamic history, mythology, and culture.

The work, prepared for Sultan Murad III (1574-1595), consists of two main chapters.

The first chapter begins with the universe and the zodiac belt, and it describes topics as well as the prophets and individuals who served the religion mentioned in the Torah, Bible, and the Quran, drawing from these sacred books.

This Quran holder has an octagonal prism-shaped body with a lid shaped like a dome, and rests on eight legs. All surfaces are adorned with inlay technique on wood using ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, ebony, and metal wires.

The adornment on the body and dome consists of polygonal designs formed by ten-armed stars intersecting with their arms. This composition is one of the most beautiful and meticulously crafted examples of wood inlay technique in Ottoman art.

This plaque features the first part of ayat 111 from the Surah Taha, written in low relief with the celi thuluth calligraphy on wood. The verse reads: "And all faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining."

One of the prominent features of this artwork is the five-pointed star known as "Mühr-ü Süleyman." This star may represent the five compulsory prayers or the five revered figures: Prophet Muhammad, Ali, Hasan, Hüseyin, and Fatma.

Esmâ Ibret Hanim was both the wife and student of a renowned calligrapher of the 19th century Mahmud Celalettin Efendi. When she was 15 years old, she presented Hilye-i Sherife (the Noble Hilye), which she wrote, to Sultan Selim III. Thus, she earned the name "İbret" in recognition of her achievement.

The Hilye-i Sherife (the Noble Hilye) with cypress motif presented to the Sultan differs from the classical hilye form. Inside the added cypress borders, Esma-i Hüsna and Esma-i Nebeviyye are written, while the central vase-shaped form contains the hilye inscription.

The miniature of ar-Rawda al-Mutahhara is situated on the dome of the artwork. This work, dated 1794-1795, was illuminated by Mehmet Şevk Efendi.

This hanging ornament features a body and neck divided into diagonal bands with grooves. The interiors of these bands are decorated with pierced star, leaf motifs, and diamond, ruby, and emerald gemstones.

The inscription reads, "el-Gazi Sultan Selim Han ibn Sultan Mustafa Han," along with the date 1219 (1804-5).

This is a celi thuluth calligraphy by Sultan Mahmud II with zer-endûd on dark blue paper. Kalimat at-Tawḥīd is written in this artwork. The signature of the Sultan (Ketebehu Mahmud bin Abdülhamid Han - Written by Mahm

The artwork, with its upper part adorned with an elegant gold illumination, is enclosed in a delicate frame composed of floral motifs covered in gold leaf made using the carving technique.

This plaque has the inscription "Meded Ya Muhammed Aleyhisselam" written on a mulberry leaf. In this technique, leaves from various trees such as mulberry, walnut, tobacco, plane tree, ivy, and rose are used.

The dry leaf's fine and unique vein texture surrounds the writing, creating a unique decorative appearance. Although these leaf writings are mostly attributed to artists from Bursa, there is no precise data available about the technique.

In this plaque with Sultan Abdulmejid's signature, the thuluth calligraphy is used to write the ayat 26 of the Surah An-Naml: "Allâhu lâ ilâhe illâ huve rabbu-l’arşi-l’azîm" (He is Allah! There is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Lord of the Mighty Throne). 

Sultan Abdulmejid’s signature is enclosed in a sheet made from leaves. The illumination of the artwork is in Rococo style.