Page 18 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent
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Introduction







        he  age of Sultan  Suleyman  the  Magnificent was  not  only  representation  of nature,  depicting fantastic or  realistic flora
    Tthe    zenith  of Ottoman  political and  economic  expansion,  in perpetual  growth.  This theme,  executed  in  styles that  re-
     but  also an  era  when  the  strong  demands  of imperial  patron-  flected a mystical  approach  as well  as a more naturalistic  one,
     age were met  by a highly energetic  and  innovative  response,  is  easily comprehensible  and  appreciable by  all peoples  at all
     bursting into  an  unprecedented  explosion  in the  arts. During  times, transcending  time and  place.  Rendered  in an  impecca-
     Süleyman's  long  and  dynamic reign  the  court  studios em-  ble  technique  with  virtuosic use  of form, color,  and  design  on
     ployed  hundreds  of artists with  diverse backgrounds  and  tra-  diverse materials,  this intrinsic quality was  largely  responsible
     ditions who  synthesized the  existing modes,  formulated new  for  the  far-flung  and  long-lasting impact  of Ottoman art, both
     forms,  themes, and  techniques,  and  helped  to  create  an indig-  at  home  and  abroad.  It highlights the  essence  of nature—its
     enous artistic expression  that  reflected the  cultural vitality of  beauty  and  perpetuity—and  presents  it in  a  most  delightful
     the  empire.  The evolution  of this artistic expression  and  the  manner, totally devoid  of dogmatic  or  didactic implications.
     establishment  of the  classical Ottoman  style owed  much  to  The  universal  message  of Ottoman  art  reflects  its ecumenical
     the  personal  involvement  and  support  of the  sultan,  whose  culture, which  endured  the  changes  of time, its potency  and
     high  sense  of aesthetics and  refined connoisseurship  left  a dis-  aesthetic appeal  as valid  today as the  day  it was initiated.
     tinguished  mark  on  Turkish art and  architecture.        The vast and  powerful empire  inherited  by  Suleyman  pro-
       Patronage  has  always been  the  essential ingredient  of cul-  vided  the  proper  setting for the  cultural explosion that  took
     tural  development  and  Suleyman  was  a  most  magnanimous  place.  His dynamism  in  political and judicial spheres  was
     patron,  scrutinizing the  works  of his  artists and  generously  matched  by  the  exuberant  creativity of the  artists of his  court.
     rewarding  them  for outstanding  performances.  His persistent
     interest  provided  the  artists with  tremendous  stimulation,
     compelling  them  to  excel  beyond  expectation  and  to  produce  Historical  Setting
     splendid  works  of art  that  glorified  their  benefactor. The
     highly  centralized administrative structure of the  state  was  The Turks began  moving  westward  from  their original  home-
     also  applied  to  artistic production,  which  was undertaken  by  land  in  central  Asia after  the  second  half  of the  eighth  cen-
     societies created  to  respond  to  the  specific  needs  of the  pal-  tury  and  established  independent  states in Afghanistan, east-
     ace.  The  most  influential of these  societies  was  the  nakka§-  ern  Iran,  and  northern  India. The most  significant  migration
     hane  (imperial painting studio), which  formulated the  decora-  occurred  in  the  eleventh  century when  the  Seljuks  arrived in
     tive themes and  designs that  were first employed  on    the  central  Islamic lands, dominated  Iran,  Iraq, and Syria,
     manuscripts  and  then  transmitted  to various court  arts,  from  and  expanded  into  Anatolia. The  Seljuk  rule in Anatolia sur-
     architectural  decoration  and  furnishings to  metalwork,  tex-  vived  until the  turn  of the  fourteenth century, at which  time
     tiles,  and  ceramics.  The nakka§hane  was  the  creative brain of  it  disintegrated  and  the  region  became  divided among  a  num-
     the  Ottoman  court  style, which  spread  to  all parts of the  em-  ber  of Turkish emirates.
     pire,  from  the  central  Islamic lands and  northern  Africa  to  the  The  northwestern  corner  of Anatolia was  claimed by Os-
     Balkans,  and  had  a profound  influence on  its neighboring  man  (12997-1324?),  the  leader  of one  of the  emirates  who
     cultures.                                                 founded  the  Osmanh,  or  Ottoman,  dynasty in which  the rule
       The most  conspicuous  feature of Ottoman  art  is the  joyful  passed  from  father to  son  or  to  the  eldest male  in  the  family
                                                               until  1922,  at  which  date  the  sultanate  was  abolished and  a
     Detail, 42a                                               year  later replaced  by the  Republic of Turkey. During the

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