Page 196 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

12 la and 12 Ib. Atlas kaftan with matching sleeves made for Sultan
Süleyman, mid-sixteenth century (Istanbul, Topkapi Sarayí Müzesi, 13/100)

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Mehmed. One is decorated with çintemani patterns, while color that can best be described as rosy beige or pale peach.
the other (120) has scrolls with hatayi blossoms and buds, Its style is identical to the robe he wore as a child, with a
cloud bands, and rumis, the characteristic motifs used in the narrow stand-up collar and projecting hips. The front fastens
court during the second quarter of the sixteenth century. with corded buttons and loops; the same fastenings are used
The embroidered panels of the latter kaftan are 21 centi- on the cuffs of the separate sleeves that button into the
]
meters (8 /4 inches) wide. The gold is so heavy that it must shoulders of the robe. The compound satin is woven with a
have required assistants to place it over the shoulders of §eh- supplemental twill that creates a series of triple lines placed
zade Mehmed, who presumably wore it while standing up diagonally. The same weave is used on the pale green silk
during official ceremonies. The superimposed scrolls, ren- facings of the lining. Both the cut and fabric of this robe are
dered mostly in blue with black and two shades of red used typical of his garments.
in the details, are extremely delicate, their design recalling the As can be observed in this example, Süleyman was a slen-
decoration used in the sultan's tugras. These two embroidered der man. Although it is difficult to determine his height, most
kaftans, together with the two kemhas made for §ehzades of his robes are 145 to 150 centimeters (about 57 to 59
Bayezid and Mustafa, are unique, and reflect the splendor of inches) long, suggesting that he was close to six feet tall,
Süleyman's court. which was considerable for the age. When wearing his large
Süleyman generally wore simple outfits, such as the entari imperial turban, the sultan must have presented an impres-
with matching kolluk (12 la and 12 Ib) woven in an unusual sive figure. 54

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