Page 128 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

court tradition. The high knob is surmounted by a large tur-
quoise. The handle, also inlaid with a gold scroll bearing
gem-studded blossoms, has a small trefoil thumb rest, a ves-
tige from much earlier examples. The foot is encircled by a
boldly executed gold braid.
A second tutya jug with a similar shape has a domical lid
and higher neck (57). Its decoration is slightly different, em-
ploying gold-outlined lobed oval medallions filled with twist-
ing branches bearing leaves and gem-centered blossoms; the
surrounding areas combine two gold scrolls, one with gem-
encrusted flowers and the other with delicately incised rumis.
The stones, set in prongs as well as in high plain collars, in-
clude rubies and turquoises, with diamonds employed only in
the centers of the medallions on the body.
The neck contains four ovals alternating with a pair of half
medallions placed at the upper and lower edges. Inside is a
gold filter decorated with hatayi and rumi scrolls set with
gems. The design used on the neck reappears on the body;
here, however, the interstices between the ovals are further
embellished with gold cloud bands.
The lid, which has three medallions, repeats the decoration
found on the neck; its flattened edge bears a floral scroll, 58. Rock-crystal jug, second quarter sixteenth century (Istanbul, Topkapi
while its high knob is set with a peridot. The handle, again Sarayí Müzesi, 2/467)
decorated with a floral scroll, has a gilded silver underside,
presumably to strengthen the tutya. A gilded silver chain
hangs between the knob and the thick ring on the handle,
which also functions as a thumb rest. The low foot contains a
gold scroll with leaves. the rim, neck, body, and foot. The simplicity of the piece re-
The entire surface of the jug is ring matted, with the excep- calls the plain metal objects that also rely on the elegance of
tion of thin bands defining the rim, neck, and body. This tex- their forms and harmony of their proportions.
turing is also found on other tutya vessels, at times applied to Ottoman rock crystal was usually more elaborately deco-
the main panels to distinguish them from the field. The rated, as exemplified by a rectangular pen box that has a high
metal, which has oxidized to a dull dark gray, originally had lid with sloping sides (59). Five panels of rock crystal com-
a bright silvery tone and must have looked sumptuous with pose the top and sides of the lid, and the same number, the
its gold inlays and colorful gems. sides and bottom of the base. The lid panels are joined by
The artists produced similar vessels by carving rock crystal gold bands with scalloped edges incised with saz leaves and
and other stones such as chalcedony and obsidian. Rock crys- blossoms and set with natural emeralds and rubies mounted
tal, a colorless transparent material, was frequently combined in slightly articulated high collars. The base panels are joined
with gold components, set with gems, and lined with painted in similar fashion, except that gems are omitted along the
paper sheets. edge of the opening; this portion, as well as the shallow feet,
One of the earliest rock-crystal jugs made in the Ottoman is decorated with incised leaves.
court is also the only piece in this material that shows no The side panels of both the lid and base are carved with a
embellishment (58). This simple and perfectly proportioned series of reciprocal trefoils, resembling the design applied to
vessel has a large S-shaped handle carved from another piece manuscript illuminations. Each trefoil contains a gold flower
and attached to the rim and swelling shoulders by rivets and with raised scalloped petals and a high central collar holding
adhesives. The handle, an abstracted form of the dragon- either an emerald or a ruby; tiny gold leaves or blossoms are
shaped examples found on silver vessels, terminates with a inlaid into the adjacent units. The flowers on the lid create a
curved leaf, the tip of which is chipped. Both the neck and central medallion flanked by two half medallions with large
body are carved with a series of vertically placed oblong emeralds placed in their cores. The lid is attached to the base
panels that have trefoil heads; those on the neck also have by hinges and kept from falling back when opened by a
trefoils at their bases while the ones on the body terminate chain joining it to the base.
with inverted rounded arches. The panels are framed with The interior contains three glass compartments framed in
bands executed in relief; a series of moldings appears around the same manner as the exterior panels. The smaller compart -

127