!

_
THE OTTOMAN
EMPIRE
Ottoman Turkishpotteryof the fifteenthand sixteenth
centuriesbelongsto the finestthe Muslimworldhasproduced.Its influencewasfelt both in the NtiddleEastand
in Europe, where a variety of imitationswere made,
hich, however,never got anywherenearthe brilliance
of glazeand color that distinguishesIsnikpottery. Isnik
is nowgenerallyconsideredto have beenthe maincenter
of production,as it was the seat of the royalworkshops
and producedmost, if not all, of the tiles for the decoration of the Ottoman mosquesof sixteenth-and seventeenth-centuryIstanbul.The Museum'scollectionconselectionof all typesof Isnikwares,
tainsa representative
and of severalvarietiesit has some of the best pieces.
16

in Mus6 Theblueandwhitefashion,longtraditional
in Turhada momentof greatflowering
lim ceramics,
inspired
keyduringthefifteenthandsixteenthcenturies,
of Ming
blueandwhiteporcelain
by the contemporary
China.This tazzabelongsto a groupof OttomanceramicsthatfollowtheirFarEasternmodelsparticularly
closely,in thechoiceof thedeepbluecolorandthetype
of the decoration.
andorganization
DiameterI4

inches.HarrisBrisbaneDict Fund,66.4.2

of thisplate,anotherexampleof the
7 Thedecoration
with
theoriginality
demonstrates
blueandwhitefashion,
whichTurkishpottershandledtheirChinesemodels.
Even thoughthe floralmotifson the rim,bothinside
paintingon
andoutside,arecloselyrelatedto decorative
therearea greatmanytypicallyIslamic
Mingporcelain,
of thealloverdesign,especially
elementsin thehandling
of thecenterof theplate,whichis based
in thedecoration
pattern.
of theinfinitegeometric
on theIslamictradition
DiameterI5

inches.Bequestof BenjaminAltman,

I 4 .40.727

weremadein Turdecoration
8 Tilesforarchitectural
keyfromthetwelfthcenturyonanda widevarietyhave
butalthoughmanyareof greatbeauty,
beenpreserved,
the supremeachievement
Ottomantileworkconstitutes
everythingelseof the kind
of thisartform,outshining
thathasbeencreatedin otherpartsof theMuslimworld.
Thistile belongsto the traditionof blueandwhitecewhichalsohadan impacton the tile
ramicdecoration,
painters.In fact,someof the finestworkeverdonein
of Isnikwasin theblueandwhitetiletheroyalfactories
svorkmadeduringthesixteenthcenturyfortheentrance
Room)andthe
wallof the SunnetOdasi(Circumcision
Baghdadkioskin the sultan'spalacein Istanbul,the fatilemusthavebeen
mousTopkapiSarayi.Thisparticular
theSunnetOdasi,butnot
madeforthe roompreceding
to someof the
used;it is identicalin sizeanddecoration
tilesthere.
40.I8I.II
WidthII inches.Gift of HoraceHa?vemeyer,

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This bowl-one of a smallgroup-datesfromthe

of the exteearlysixteenthcentury,but the decoration
varietyofhatayi("China")
riorstillreflectstheparticular
patternadoptedin Turkeyin themiddleof thefifteenth
century,probablyafter the courtmovedto recently
in I454. Someof the design
Constantinople
conquered
of the interiorinto
elements,notablythe organization
motifs,are totally
panelsand the use of cypress-tree
Islamicin tradition,addingto the trulyoriginal,nonof thesewares.
Chinesecharacter
Diameterso inches.RogersFund,32.34

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20 Amongtheblueandwhitewaresof Ottomanpotteryonetypestandsout.It doesnotfollowthegenerally

acceptedChineserepertoryof decorativeflowers,but
substitutes
thin,linearspiralsbesetwithtinysdelicately
paintedleavesand rosettes.Thisware-forsometime
associated
witha presumed
factoryat the GoldenHorn
- is oftencalledGoldenHornware,eventhoughscholars
nowthinkit wasmadein the royalworkshops
of Isnik.
About s530-Z535.Height91X6 inches.HarrisBrisbane
Dict Fund,66.4.3

2I Turkishdesignsat almostallperiods,butespecially
in the Ottoman,includeda greatmanyfloralformsof
relativelyrealistic
detail.Ottomanpotteryandtilework
areparticularly
notedfor theiruseof a widevarietyof
flowerrepresentations:
roses,carnations,
tulips,hyacinths,

andmanyothers.Thisplateis notonlya fineexampleof

the kind,but it is alsoof specialinterestbecauseof its
rareuseof animalfigures
- two birds-within the floral
design.Therimis decorated
withtheso-called
rockand
wavepattern,derivedfromChinesemodels,whichappearson mostIsnikplates.
Mosquelampsmadeof potteryand decoratedwith
bothcalligraphic
and,as in the caseof the lampat the
right, floralpolychromedesignson a brilliantwhite
groundarewellknownthroughout
theOttomanperiod,
eventhoughpiecesof thistypeandqualityarequiterare.
The lampswerealmostcertainlypurelydecorativeobjectsgivenascommemorative
tokensto mosquesby the
sultanor highofficials
of thecourt,since,beingmadeof
pottery,theycouldnotwellserveanypractical
purpose.
DiameterZZX inches,heightZZS inches.GiftofJamesJ.
Rorimer,
59.69.s, Bequestof BenjaminAltman,I4.40.73I

23 TheTurksweregreatsailors;theirfleetwasoneof
by the
patterns
employed
22 Thevarietyof decorative
theirmainassetsin the conquestand,lateron, in the
sincethe
is remarkable,
especially
Isnikceramicpainters
defenseof theirempire.Shipsalsoplayedan important
the sixteenthandsevendominantfashionthroughout
Sailsalwayswere
rolein dailylife on the Bosphorus.
floralstyle.Even
teenthcenturieswasthe polychrome
depictedflowersforman im(and,happily,stillare)partof the city'sskyline.Sailthoughquiterealistically
boatsof all varieties,fromthesultan'spleasureboatto
portantpartof the patternon thisplate,a numberof
becamea majormoof hisarmada,
theuseof a deepbluebackground, the big"battleships"
elements
areunusual:
tif in Ottomanpainting.Thosethatdominatethedecothe organization
of the floralmotifinto an almostabrationof thisbeautifuljugcanbe foundin innumerable
of therimwitha design
stractpattern,andthedecoration
onvasesandplates,ewersandbowls,throughvariations
derivedfromOttomanfloralforms.Piecessuchas this
werefora timebelievedto havebeenmadeat Damascus, out the Ottomanperiod.
Firsthayof the XlZII century.Height8h8inches.Rogers
in Syria,butnowthereis no doubtthattheyareworks
Fund,Ig.67
of the sameIsnikpotterswhocreatedthe moretypical
floralplates(21) andtilework.
DiameterZZ% inches.Bequestof BenjaminAltman,
s4.40.732

208

onsurarchitecture
hasalwaysconcentrated
24 Islamic
have
become
many
buildings
In
fact,
facedecoration.
splendorof theirtilework,
famousfor the unparalleled
whichoftencoversboththeinteriorandtheexteriorof
the entirebuilding.In OttomanTurkey,however,althoughtileworkwaswidelyusedin bothsecularand
in interiors
it occursprincipally
religiousarchitecture,
parts.In mosques,
and,even there,only in particular
tileworkis usedfor
richlydecorated,
usuallyespecially
themiArab(prayerniche)and,at times,theentireqibla

wall (the one thatfacesMecca),the lowerpartof the

Magnificent
centralroom,andthewallsof thegalleries.
floraltilessimilarto theoneshown
panelsof polychrome
Tilesare
greatmosques.
manyof Istanbul's
heredecorate
smalltymalmostneverusedon theoutsideof buildings,
panelsabovedoorsand windowsbeing
panum-shaped
of OttomantileThefinestassembly
theonlyexception.
workis to be foundin the sultan'spalacein Istanbul.
Secondhalf of the XVI century.47 x 48 inches.Gift of
J. PierpontMorgan,Z7.s90.2083

theknottedpile carpetTurksverylikely"invented"
formsof Islamicart- long
oneof themostcharacteristic
beforethey enteredthe Muslimworldand even long
beforeIslam.Theybroughtit to WesternAsia,andfurnishedeveryonefromCentralAsiato Spainwithits basic
anddesign.In theheydayof Ottomanculture
technique
in thesixteenthcentury,bothrugsandtextilesweredesignedwith an exquisitetastefor formand color,and
followedthe trendtowardrealisticfloralmotifs(which,
a changeto almosttotalabstrachowever,underwent
worktionas soonas theyenteredthe textiledesigners'
age-oldtradishop).TheOttomanrug,in partfollowing
ideasdevelopedin the late
tions,in partparaphrasing
Timuridperiodandin SafavidPersia,is oneof themost
artformsof the Muslimworld.
fascinating

kept the Ottomans

25 Politicalandreligiousquarrels
of Persiathroughin constantconflictwiththeSafavids
out thesixteenthcentury.Tabriz,the Safavidcapitalin
Iran,wastakenby theOttomanarmysevnorthwestern
eraltimesduringthe firsthalfof that century,which
contactwithSabroughtthe Ottomansintoimmediate
centerof rugweaving
favidart.Tabrizwasanimportant
at that time.In contrastto the abstractalloverfloral
patternshadbeendemotifsof Turkishrugs,medallion
velopedin Persia,andit musthavebeenthroughcontact
withSafavidrugsthatTurkishweaversbeganto experimentwith thesenewideas.The stardesignof thisrug,
with the city of Ushakin centralAnatolia,
associated
patterns.
by Safavidmedallion
inspired
wasundoubtedly
rugsof thistypethepatternis of monuWhilein Persian
appliedtheirown taste
mentalscale,Turkishdesigners
to themodelsandcameup withsmaller,highlyoriginal
forms.Thestardesignsof suchUshakrugsareamongthe
of thesebasicallyun-Turkish
variations
mostsuccessful
patternideas.
Endof theXVI century.s4feet 7 inchesx / Jeet7 inches.
GiJtof JosephV. McMullan,58.63

26 The patternof this rug-even thoughof the late

Ottomanperiod-represents
oneof the oldestformsof
Turkishrugdesign.The "classical"
periodof thistype
of geometricpatternseemsto havebeenthe fifteenth
century.Not a singleexample
fromthatperiodhascome
downto us, but rugsof thisand closelyrelatedtypes
appearin innumerable
Timuridminiatures
and Italian
andFlemishpaintings
of thefifteenthcentury;theyare,
indeed,knownas "Holbein"carpetsbecausethey are
depictedso oftenin that painter's
works.Thisrugis of
particular
beautyin design,andprobablyuniquein its
magnificent
useof lightblueforthesecondary
arabesque
cartouche
motif.
XVI century.so feet x 4 feet 3 inches.Gift of JosephV.
McMullan,6z.65

27 The fascination
of Turkishrugsfor the Westand
the specialappreciation
of thisartformin Italyis well
demonstrated
by the fact thatmanynobleItalianfamilieshadrugsmadefor theirpalacesandchurches.
The
Centurione
andDoriafamiliesof Genoamusthaveorderedthis one (whichhasa few companion
piecesin
Europeancollections)
as it bearstheircoatof armsin
its upperleft-handcorner.Eventuallyit shouldbe possibleto datetheserugsquiteaccurately,
sincetheappearanceof thecoatofarmsof bothfamilies
indicates
a special
occasion,
probably
a marriage
betweentwomembers
of
thesefamousGenoeseclans,but so farit hasnot been
possibleto finda traceof anysucheventin theannalsof
theirfamilyhistory.The Genoese,one shouldbearin
mind,wereamongthe firstto settlepermanently
in Istanbul,makingPera(onthe European
sideof the city,
eastof theGoldenHorn)theirheadquarters.
Thetower
of Perais still standingas living testimonyto their
presence.
7 feet 8S inchesx 4 feet 8S inches.Gift of JosephV.
McMullan,62.23I

28 Prayerrugshave alwaysplayedan importantfunctionin

Islam.They symbolizethe "cleanplace"a Muslimhas to use
for prayer.In theirmost elaborateform- suchas this example
of the so-calledOttoman court-manufactured
rugs (possibly
made in Egypt, which in I5IO becamepart of the Ottoman
Empire,ratherthan in Anatolia)-they incorporatedin their
designsarchitecturalelementsrepresenting,
in an abstractfashion, the mihrab.In this rug, the usuallysimplenichehas been
developedinto a triple arch surmountedby crenelationand
miniaturecupolas,indicatingthe place of prayeritself, the
mosque. (Ottoman mosquesdeveloped a specificdesign, of
whichcupolasforma vital part.)
The rug is not only of great beautyin designand color,but
is alsoof the highesttechnicalquality,achievingin its exceedingly dense knotting the effect of a smooth, brilliantvelvet.
About1600. 5 feet 8 inchesx 4 feet 2 inches.Giftof JamesF.
Ballard,22.soo.sI
29 Amongthe greatvarietyof designsthat the carpetweavers
of Anatoliaproducedduring the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries,a specialgroupis formedby those with an abstract
floralpatternresemblingbirds(hencethe name "birdcarpet"
commonlygiven to theserugs),usuallyin brightredand blue,
on a white ground.The choiceof white for the backgroundof
both the field and the borderis without parallelin any other
type of Islamiccarpet.The peculiarambiguitythat led to the
almostcertainlyerroneousinterpretationof the floralformsas
birdsis equallyuniquein Turkishrugdesigns,whichgenerally
are clearlyfloral-abstract
and, in contrastto Persiancarpets,
neverincludeany humanor animalforms.
XboutZ600. s4feet 7 inchesx 7feet 7 inches.Giftof JosephV.
McMullan,63.207
30 Whereasmany laterIslamicrugsare judgedaccordingto
whetheror not they attainedstandardsdevelopedin the sixteenth and seventeenthcenturies,the classicalperiod of rug
making, this rug is to be judged apart from its prototypes,
whichare variedand elusive.The centrallyorganizedscheme
probablyderivesfrom Persiansources,while other motifs are
specificallyTurkish.For instance,the rectilinearsubdivisions
with floralforms inside the medallionsare akin to motifs of
eighteenth-and nineteenth-centuryGhiordesprayerrugs,and
the angularshapesof the medallions,suggestingniches,are related to shapeson seventeenth-and eighteenth-centuryBergamarugs.The Museumowns many fine nineteenth-century
Turkishrugs that are, as in this case,not debasedversionsof
earlierformsbut inventivecombinationsand reinterpretations
of those forms.At times,indeed, their geometricalconfigurations refer to the earliesttraditionof rug design,antedating
the classicalperiod,and are thereforeof particularinterest.
LateXVIII-XIX century.6 feet 2 inchesx 4 feet 5 inches.Gift
of JamesF. Ballard,22.I 00.25

Ottomanpaintingis unmistakable.
Originalin style,colorsensitivity,
and
iconography,
it formsoneof the mostinteresting
chapters
in the complex
historyof Islamicpainting.Littleis knownaboutits earliestphase,during
the fourteenth
andfifteenthcenturies,but we canfollowits development
throughout
the sixteenth,seventeenth,
andeighteenthcenturies.
Turkishpaintinghaslittleto do withanyotherIslamicpainting.It developeda style that is thoroughlyand uniquelyTurkish,combiningan
unparalleled
senseof realitywithan equallyunparalleled
senseof abstract
designbothin composition
andcolor.It alsodevelopedan originaliconography,basedon manycontemporary
historicaleventsand texts,andhas
hardlyanyinterestin lyrical,poeticalaspectsof life.In thisit differsfundamentallyfromPersianpainting.It is bold,austere,and of extraordinary
power,oftenlargein scale,andof the highesttechnical
andaestheticquality. It is stillunfamiliar
outsideTurkey,asalmostnothingaboutit hasbeen
published
in the West,andveryfewpaintingshaveeverreachedWestern
collections.

ShahNameh,
illustrated
Firdausi's
31 Ottomanpainters
history,asif it
a famous
epicdealingwithancientPersian
noticetookplacein theirowntime.Thisis particularly
(archenemies
ablein thispainting,wheretheTuranians
are represented
as OttomanTurksin
of the Iranians)
- a remarkasweapons
theirtypicaldress,usingfirearms
Theuseof the entiresurableinstanceof anachronism.
faceavailableto the painterson both pages,and the
spaceas a unit
composition
thattreatsthe double-page
of the Ottomanstyle.The realismof
arecharacteristics
butalsoinindiin costumeandweapons
detail,especially
of thefierceness
andtherendering
vidualphysiognomy,
andareagaintypical
andcrueltyof battleareremarkable
of Ottomanpainting.
Secondhalf of the XVI century.Eachpage I7 X
JosephPulttzerBequest,s2.20.ga,b
inches.Purchase,

Iy/8

32 A Turkisharmyenteringa city is shownin this

painting,whichdecoratesa poemin praiseof Sultan
one of his
andprobablyrepresents
Murad(I574-I595)
of thewayin which
militaryexploits.Thisis anexample
an Ottomanpainterwill avoid,wheneverpossible,the
on reality,
andconcentrate
realmof the lyrical-poetical
of the
eventsof histime.Theliveliness
on thehistorical
the imaginative
useof the limitedspace
representation,
of a massiveparade,and the
to createthe impression
delicatebutfirmuseof thebrushmakethisa particularly
during
typicalproductof thestylein fashionin Istanbul
political
Murad's
rule.Muradwasnot onlyanimposing
figure,butalsooneof thegreatpatronsof thearts.
al-Bati (Z526Pagefrom a Diwan of MahmudAMbd
Bequestof GeorgeD. Pratt,45.z 74.5
I0
X 6 inches.

I600).

an episodein the life of

33 Thispainting,illustrating
b. Muhamthe famousShaykhof Islam-Abu'l-Su'ud
at
the
Ottoman
madal-Amidi-whoheldhis position
amongthe most
courtfor thirtyyearsandis numbered
yet anotheraspectof
brilliantmenof histime,presents
period.Even
Ottomancourtpaintingof SultanMurad's
historyandprethoughit focusesagainoncontemporary
sentsa pictureof the lifeat the Ottomancourt,it is of
an intimateratherthanofficialnature.The shaykhis
butit seemsto
clearlyengagedin somekindof business
on
a garden.The
private
house,
opening
takeplacein his
decoration
in delicategoldpaintadds
elaborate
marginal
effect.
to thenonhieratic
TheShaykhof IslamHoldinga DisputationwithMembersof theReligiousCouncil.Pagefrom a Diwan of MahmudAbdal-Bati. soMx 6 inches.Giftof GeorgeD. Pratt,
25.83.9

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34 The Ottomancourtschoolin Istanbulshareswith

the Mughalschoolin Indiathe distinction
of initiating
portraiture
in Islamicart.Althoughit neverwentas far
as Indianpainting,whichcreatedlikenesses
thatcanbe
compared
(andin fact owe a greatdeal)to European
painting,it stillproduced
seriesof sultans'portraits
that
in manyinstances
comecloseto portraiture
in theWestern sense.It wasvery likelyhis particular
feelingfor
abstraction
that kept the Turkishpainterfromlosing
sightof thefundamental
overtheparticular.
Theresults
areportraitssuchas this one, probablyof SultanAhmet I (I 603-I 6I 7), the builderof the "BlueMosque"
in Istanbul.
s3h x 8S inches.RogersFund,44.30

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35 Religiousiconography
is a greatrarityin Islamic
art, but, contraryto the beliefthat the figureof the
Prophetcouldnotberepresented,
therearemanypaintingsthatillustratevariousaspectsof the Prophet'slife.
Almostall weredoneeitherin Turkeyor in areasthat
the Turksdominated.
The treatmentof the Prophet's
entirelifein painting
- asopposedto thesinglingout of
the mirajscene(the Prophet'sjourneyto heaven)by
otherIslamicartists-hassurvivedonlyfromthe Ottomanperiod.Thissmallpainting,showingthe Prophet
seatednextto the mihrabin a mosque,withhisson-inlawAliandAli'ssonsHassan
andHusaynonhisleft,and
surrounded
bymembers
of theearlyMuslimcommunity,
is a perfectmid-sixteenth-century
exampleof Muslim
religious
iconography.
Treatedin an almosttotallyundramatic,
if not to sayunemotional,
fashion,it testifies
againto theTurks'straightforward
senseof history.The
Prophetis veiledand a flaminghalo encompasses
his
head;a similarhaloencirclesthe groupof Ali with his
sons.Exceptfor thesesymbolicelements,the painting
isfullyrealistic
andplacesthescenesquarely
insixteenthcentury
Turkey.
71M6 X 6X6

inches.RogersFund,S5.z2z.40

36 Calligraphyand designgo hand in handin Islamicart, and the

Ottoman periodwas no exception.Rather,it createda numberof
remarkablecalligraphicdesigns,both in monumentalscale for the
decorationof buildings(Ulu Cami,Bursa)and in actualcalligraphy,
such as the tughraof Sulaymanthe Magnificent(I520-I566)
shown
here.
Each imperialedict (firman)
was headedby the officialsignature
of the rulingsultan.It wasthis signature,or tughra,executednot by
the sultanhimselfbut by a specialofficerin chargeof this function,
that made the documentofficial.While the tughra'sparticularform
changedwith each sultan, its basic shape remainedvirtually unchangedthroughoutthe periodof Ottomanrule.Sulayman'stughras
areamongthe most elaborateand monumental.In theirmagnificent
movementof line anddelicacyof floralpattern,they unite the power
and finesseof Ottomandesign.There is nothing comparableto the
Ottomantughrain other partsof the Aluslimworld:it is one of the
most typicaland originalcreationsof Ottomanart.
20

inches.
Rogers
Fzlnd,38.Z49.I

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37 In someinstancesthe calligraphicelementthat wasat all timesan importantfactorin TurkishIslamicart became

of primeimportancefor painting.In fact, Ottomanartistshad inheriteda schoolof decorativepainting- or drawing
- froma long traditionpossiblyharkingbackto the fourteenthcenturyand to CentralAsia (Samarkand,
Herat).This
schoolfound ardentsupportersin Istanbul.There is evidencethat many of these drawingswere made as modelsfor
tile and pottery painters,textile weavers,leatherworkers,
wood carvers,and other craftsmen,since many designsin
their objectsseem immediatelyderivedfrom some of these studies.But a good number-among them this drawing
of a dragonboldly prancingthrougha twistedbranchof agitatedfoliage- wereundoubtedlymadein theirown right,
to be appreciatedas magnificentcalligraphicdesigns.The drawingis attributedin the cartoucheabove to Shah Qali,
an artistwho had come fromTabrizto Istanbulto workfor the Ottomancourt in the sixteenthcentury.
6 1M6 X I01X6 inches.Bequestof CoraTimkenBurnett,57.5I.26
38 Scribes,painters,poets,courtoicials, and everyonewho couldaffordit kept writingtoolsin special,small,often
nicelydecoratedwoodenboxescalledqalamdar.Mostweredecoratedwith lacquerpainting,but fromthe earlyperiods,
only thosemadeof metalsurvive.Leatherboxessuchas this- with an elaboratestampedand gildeddesign- are very
rare.Very unusual,also,is the size of this box-almost fifteenincheslong: most measurednot more than six to eight
inches.Thereis little questionthat this pen box, whichdatesfromabout I600, wasusedin the royalhousehold,if not
by the sultanhimself.ManyMuslimrulersweregreatbibliophilesandoften amongthe best calligraphers
of theirtime.
Lengths4h inches.RogersFund,33.72

In a warlikenation,weapons
area man'smost
preciouspossessions,
andin Turkeythiswas
expressed
not only by the greatcarewith
whichblades
andgunbarrels
wereforgedfrom
the famous"watered"
steel-producedby a
complicated
methodof heating,hammering,
andquenching-butperhapseven moreby
the decoration
lavishedon themin gold,silver,andprecious
stones.

39 Domedlikethecupolaof a mosqueand
covered
withpiousinscriptions,
thisfifteenthcenturyhelmetderivesitsstriking
effectfrom
thecontrast
of itssilverinlayagainstthedark
steelbackground.
It is surprisingly
large,becauseit wasmadetobewornovera turban;
the
draped
foldsof theturban
apparently
inspired
thedecorative
flutingtypicalof thesehelmets.
Heights3h inches.Anonymous
gift,50.87

.:.

rock
- never
crystal!
was expected
The jade-hilted
tO strike

adagger
blow, for
next it tois it,
madethough
out of

41

40 Originallyterrible,armor-shatteringvveapons,maces
became
symbols
of rankbecause
of theirverypower.This
one musthavebeenmadefor an exaltedpersonwho

lF +l

l_
_

_
_

madein Persia,hadits goldscabbard

freelygarnished
withemeralds
andrubiesaccording
to Turkishtaste.
XVIII andXVII centuries.
Mace2I inches,daggerI8%
inches.Beqxest
of George
C.Szone,36.25.I884, 994

thesteelof
decorates
inlaysetwithturquoises
41Gold
purpractical
The
shield.
battle
seventeenth-century
this
to
was
front
the
on
of the fourdecorativebosses
pose
still
shield
The
of the handgrips.
the fastenings
secure
of redvelvetrichlyembroidered
lining
original
its
retains
goldthread.
with
36.25.597

throughDuof Janina,knownto Westerners

Pasha
Ali
Countof MonteCristo.
mas's
62H and

Lengths
DateofJ!intloctXVII-XVIII century.
36.2s.22Ig, and
Stone,
C.
George
inches.Bequestof
67
WilliamSloane,
of Mrs. WilliamE. S. Griswold,Mrs.
Gift
JohnSloane,43.82.4
and

inches.Bequestof GeorgeC.Stone,
Diameter2s

a finedamascene
42Althoughthe gunat the top has importedfrom
probably
latter
(the
andflintlock
barrel
and
diamonds,
- sapphires,
itsdaintydecoration
France),
parade
a
of seedpearls- indicatesthatit was
thousands
of the palaceguard.The
perhapsof a commander
arm,
miquelet
below,however,withits typicalTurkish adds
gun
that
is decoratedwith boldsilverapplique
lock,
with its deadlypurpose.It
withoutinterfering
luxury
haveseenactionin theGreekWarofIndependence:
must
by thefamous
is datedI8I4/I5, andit wasonceowned
it

wastheweaponof thefabledTurkish
43Thescimitar
on foot,suchasthe celebrated
butwarriors
cavalrymen,
with a
favoredthe yataghan-along knife
Janissaries,
form
blade.The characteristic of
double-curved
wicked
times,whenthe
hiltis carriedoverfromprehistoric
the
shinbone.This
a
of
wasmadefromthe upperpart
grip
with coral.
studded
by contrast,is of heavysilver
one,
A.H. I238,
date
the
on thebladeincludes
inscription
The
to ourA.D. I822/23.
equivalent
36.25.
C. Stone,
Length29S inches.Bequestof George
s6Z7

42

t-43

mainlyproducedon
44 It is in velvetsand brocades,
theroyalloomsof Bursa(thelastOttomancapitalbefore
conthatthe peculiar,
the conquestof Constantinople),
and abstractdesignthat
trastingtastefor naturalistic
so muchof TurkishIslamicart findsits
characterizes
deThe large"fan-shaped
mostimmediateexpression.
vices,"as the mainmotifof the fabricat the upperleft
hasbeencalled,are,of course,nothingbutmonumentalseenflattenedout, in profileas
blossoms
izedcarnation
rowsagainsta deep
staggered
it were,set in alternating
redground.Theuseof redforthegroundandsilverbroratherthanviceversaisanadditional
cadefortheflowers
in thisdesign,whichis principally
elementof abstraction
of an
accuraterepresentation
basedon an astonishingly
flower.
existing,recognizable
EarlyxvIs sentury.RogersFund,s 7.29.ZZ
Velvetbrocade.

45 The designersemployedin the palaceateliersin

of the vastroyalworkIstanbulworkedforall branches
It is forthisreasonthatbookbindings,
shoporganization.
tiles,woodcarvin manuscripts,
illuminations
marginal
andtextilesareoftendecorated
ings,metalornaments,
with almostidenticalpatterns.Even thoughnonehas
survived,theremusthavebeenpatternbooksproduced
fromwhichall otherartistsworked.
by the designers
Thedesignof the textileat theupperright- of extramovementsuggested
appealin its powerfully
ordinary
tile panels,andis a
is repeatedon manymonumental
the long,narrowborder
favoritedevicefor decorating
pattern.Noteworthy
tilesthatframepanelsofa different
useof naturalisis the curiousbut highlycharacteristic
and
flowers,especiallythe carnation
ticallyrepresented
withinthe stylizedpalmettes
tulip,as fillerornaments
and leavesattachedto the heavy,undulating"stems'
thatprovidethe mainmotifof the pattern.
JosephPulitzerBeSilt brocade.XVI sentury.Purchase,
quest,52.20.2I

liketheoneat thelowerleft,with
46 Turkishbrocades
floralpatternsin brightcrimson,blue,
theirlarge-scale
for the European
fascination
andgold,hada particular
Piecesof thistypewerebrought
travelerandmerchant.
andGenoese.
in greatquantityto Italyby theVenetians
Fromthefifteenthcenturyon,theirimpactonEuropean
andmanyof the
decorativedesignwasextraordinary,
(andvelvets)woveninItalyin thelatefifteenth
brocades
andsixteenthcenturiesfollowtheirTurkishmodelsso
closelythatat timesit is not easyto recognizethemas
work.
European
Thispieceis of unusualinterestbecauseof its dense
andpowerfuldesign.The contrastbetweenpatternand
ground,usuallyan importantfeatureof Ottomantexforthesumptuous
abandoned
tiles,is almostcompletely
effectof nearlysolidlydecoratedsurface.Equallyreof the floralforms,
is the extremeabstraction
markable
motifs.
whichagainprovidethe basicdecorative
Silkbrocade.
quest,52.20.I8
XltI

222

JosephPulitzerBesenturyPurchase,

47 Thepanelat thelowerrightisyet anotherexample

of the Ottomantextiledesigners'love of sumptuous
motifs,and
effect,abstractpatternbasedon naturalistic
greattechnicalskill.Almostall the favoriteflowersof
into the designareincorporated
Ottomandecoration
therose,andthehyacinth.The
the tulip,thecarnation,
of
useof a "fieldandframe'devicefortheorganization
thesurfaceis quitecommonin lateOttomantextiles.It
patto applydifferent
theopportunity
givesthedesigner
doesnot
sincehegenerally
ternsto the textile,especially
treateithertheframeorfieldasa single,uniformentity,
with continuous
but as repeatedareasto be decorated
designs.Thisis shownin the waythe patternis carried
beyondthe edgeaboveand below,continuingon into
a greaterdesignfromwhichthispiecehasbeencut to
oneof rugpatternsformthepresentunitthatreminds
withwhichit, however,hasnothingin common.
Velretbrocade.Beginningof the XVII sentury.Rogers
Fund og.gg

t;en

S>

E,j_
* \ Z1 ;a
|magnificent
X. 0 i g fi

< tha
aand
necked
t_ Babylonia.
r typical
k lutes
S nvtNear
tanbur
The
R Eastern
v Arabs
kabir
S Islalnic
type
called
turti, of

m u

d ' '

1w]
;

?S
.$ |

|
g

8s

1xa K
1.l! % 1 1 ^
0

! 1

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_

<

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X

tg

g
Z

^
w

11ll
l l:lq
11 ;t11
I t!S
. fll
i I

fl

* ; lla s

z
|

threeinstruments
of the lute family(two tanbours
and
a smallersaz)characterized
by long,thin necks.It has
beenpointedout tha the shapeof the tanbour,like
that of otherlong-necked
lutesof the NearEast,has
beeninheritedfromt at of the ancientlutesof Egypt

Thekanoon,orin Arabiqanun(fromtheGreektanon),
is entionedin oneof t e storiesof TheAtrabian
Nights.
ThroughMuslimSpainthe kanooninfluenced,by its
sha e andplayingtec ique, the laterEuropeanform
of he zither.

'+;>t!X

fffi

49 This groupof Turkishinstruments

consistsof a
-_

!F1 lst''1
0X'

,
|?>
Z | ^

<|
i
z

tS

the
world
psaltery,
or "large
largest
Thisthe
Turkish
of; kanoon,
the
0 i;lute."
longi and
0

engthof tanbour
a rzght3 feet lo znches.
Giftof At.
Getty,46.34.69.Secondtanbour,kanoon,andsaz: The
Cr sby Brown C

>MuszcalInstruments,
89.4.