“Ottoman art was shaped by the rich traditions of the worlds they encountered - the domes of the Byzantines, the motifs of the Persians, the porcelain of the Chinese, and the scripts of the Abbasids. Over the next century after the Conquest of Constantinople, the Ottomans moulded these into a visual language that was distinctly their own.”

Under the Sultan's Shadow: Suleiman the Magnificent & the Classical Period.

Our exhibition begins by exploring the rich cultural, religious, and historical traditions of the lands ruled by the Ottomans. It then turns to how the Ottomans shaped these traditions into a unique imperial identity; discussed in last month's curator's talk The Sultan, Identity, and Power.

This theme - of Ottoman culture and identity as consciously layered on that of their predecessors - runs throughout the exhibition, and, as implied by the excerpt above, applies to their artwork.

This curatorial talk develops the theme further, focussing on Ottoman artwork, its influences, and its development during the classical period under Sultan Suleiman. It supplements the exhibition content for those looking to delve deeper into the Ottoman period, and is part of a monthly series exploring the exhibition's key theme of a consciously layered imperial culture.

After a short talk exploring these themes and the process of putting together this area of the exhibition, there will be time for attendees to ask our lead curator questions.

Monthly Topics:

• Saturday 23rd May, 2:30pm - 3:00pm: The Sultan, Identity, and Power

• Saturday 20th June, 2:30pm - 3:00pm: Ottoman Art

• Saturday 18th July, 2:30pm - 3:00pm: The Later Ottomans

• Saturday 15th July, 2:30pm - 3:15pm: Ottoman Architecture

Tickets:

• Free (donation option available)

IMAGE REFERENCES:

The Selimiye Mosque, photographed by Rob Stoeltje

Album of Calligraphies Including Poetry and Prophetic Traditions (Hadith); The MET (1982.120.3)

Tile with 'Saz' Leaf Design; The MET (1978.350)

Ottoman Court Carpet; The MET (41.190.257)