Page 32 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent
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though  from  the  1520s to  the  1560s it appears to  have relied  legged  mythical creatures), lions and  dragons as well as
     heavily  on  masters  from  Tabriz or  on  their  trainees.  These  art-  placid  peris  (angelic female spirits or  fairies).  Although  at  best
     ists  either  emigrated  to  the  Ottoman  capital from  Iran  after  only  two  drawings datable to  the  1540s and  1550s  (see figs.
    the  fall  of the  Akkoyunlu  state  in  1501  or  came  as  a part of  8  and  9) can be properly  assigned  to his hand, he was the
     Selim  I's booty  after  the  1514 conquest  of Tabriz. Although it  indisputable  master  of this sophisticated style, which reveals
     is thought  that  Selim  I transported  a  thousand  artists,  crafts-  mystic  tendencies. The inherent  symbolism  of these  works
     men,  scholars,  and  poets  to the  capital, the  registers record  must  have  been intellectually stimulating to Süleyman, since
     only  thirteen  men  who  entered  the  painting  studio during his  saz drawings  were incorporated  into  albums  compiled  for
     reign.  A related document  lists  sixteen painters and  adds a  him;  they  reflect  his  personal  taste  as well as his interest in
     note  stating that  there  were  twenty-three  others just as tal-  mysticism,  which  is also evident  in  his own  poetry. The floral
    ented. 8  Of these  sixteen names,  eleven  are  mentioned  in var-  themes  that  evolved  from  drawings executed  in this style be-
    ious  documents  and  payroll registers.  It is possible  that  the  came the  most  distinct characteristics  of Ottoman  decorative
     others  entered  different  societies of the  Ehl-i  Hiref  or joined  arts.  Saz style drawings  ceased  to be  produced  after  the  end
    the  local guilds.                                         of the  sixteenth  century  although  the  decorative  theme sur-
      Artists  listed  as Tabrizi  in  the  registers obviously included  vived  much  longer,  having  an  exuberant  revival  in the first
    painters  from  Herat who  had  been  taken  to Tabriz after  the  half  of the  1700s.
    fall  of the  Timurid Empire. Selim I also brought with  him  Kara  Memi,  another  exceptionally innovative artist, formu-
    Bedi uz-Zaman,  the  last Timurid sultan  held  captive by  the  lated  a  totally  different  concept  of decoration,  the naturalistic
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    Safavids,  and  his retinue  of court artists and  scholars.  It  genre  in  which  a profusion of spring flowers and  trees joy-
    should  be noted  that  Selim I must  have  also brought  Syrian  fully  re-create  paradise  gardens.  The  representation  of  such
    and  Egyptian artists  to Istanbul after  the  defeat  of the  Mam-  flowers as roses,  tulips, carnations, and  hyacinths (which
    luks  in  1517. The  last Mamluk  court  in  Cairo had just  begun  symbolized  sacred  and  profane  love,  abundance,  or  perpetu-
    to  sponsor  major  illustrated manuscripts, which  appear to  ity)  in  addition to  blossoming fruit  trees  (called bahar,  which
    have  been  produced  by artists trained  in the Akkoyunlu  also  means "spring")  and  cypresses  (symbols of the  ascension
    schools  of Tabriz and  Shiraz. 10  Once  in Istanbul they joined  of  the  soul  into  heaven)  reflects  yet another  mystical trend,
    their former colleagues and  their  individual styles became  ab-  rendered  in  a  different  idiom.  The  elements  of this genre,
    sorbed  by the  nakka§hane.                                more  easily comprehended  than  the  saz themes, immediately
      Although  the  archival  documents  provide  information on  spread  to  the  other  media  and  continued  to be a significant
    the  structure of the  nakka§hane  and  its membership,  the  feature  in  Ottoman  decorative  arts for centuries to  come.
    styles of the  vast majority of the  individuals and  their  contri-  Kara  Memi,  whose name  is mentioned  in  two  manuscripts
    bution  to  the  development  of Ottoman painting are  not  produced  in  the  1550s and  the  1560s  (see  14 and  26), estab-
    known.  Many  painters  cannot  be  identified  with  the existing  lished  this genre,  which  coexisted  with  the  saz style of deco-
    works  since  most  of the  manuscripts have  no  colophons  and  ration  initiated by  §ahkulu  in  the  second  quarter of the six-
    the  few that  do  record  only  the  names  of the calligraphers.  teenth  century.
    Many  texts were  illustrated  by  the  combined  efforts  of several  Osman  represents  yet another  revolutionary trend  in  the
    artists,  who  either produced  single paintings or collaborated  nakka§hane, that  of illustrated histories. He was  an  excep-
    with  colleagues; therefore their identity was  lost within  the  tional  artist who  could  portray the  psychological interaction
    overall production.  Even when  the  hands  of individuals can  between  the  protagonists  while  remaining true  to the  docu-
    be  determined  in  a  series  of illustrations, they  still  remain  mentation  of the  events  within  their proper  settings. He and
    anonymous.                                                 his assistants worked  primarily with  Lokman, the  official
      There  are, fortunately, four  exceptions:  Bayram b.  Dervi§,  court  biographer,  producing hundreds  of paintings that re-
    §ahkulu, Kara Memi,  and  Osman,  each  of whom  represents  a  created  the  lives and  achievements  of the  sultans and  re-
    different  tradition practiced in  the  court  studio. Bayram,  corded  in  detail their glorious campaigns,  festive  events,  cere-
    known  as  the  illuminator of a Koran  (see 8),  reveals a  con-  monial  activities, and  private lives (see 42  and  43).  Osman,
    servative  and  traditional mode.  He was  a highly competent  who  flourished  between  the  1560s and  the  1590s,  is not  only
    artist with  great technical facility  and  probably was  the  best  mentioned  in  the  manuscripts  of the  period,  but  also por-
    in  his  league.                                           trayed  in two  of them. His style, which  dominated  the  nakka§-
       §ahkulu,  on  the  other  hand,  was  a revolutionary painter  hane until the  second  quarter  of the  seventeenth  century,
     and  the  creator  of the  saz style, which  came  to  be  identified  owed  much  to  the  anonymous  master  of the  Süleymanname,
     with  the  high  court  art  of the  age.  He was  a virtuoso of saz  written  by  the  court biographer  Arifi  (see 41), the first illus-
     drawings  that  represented  a fantastic world  filled  with hatayis  trated  history  in the  Ottoman  court  that  realistically docu-
     and  twisting  leaves, frequently inhabited by ferocious sen-  mented  the  events,  personages,  and  settings of the  age. 11
     murvs  (fantastic  birds resembling  phoenixes), chilins  (four-  The term  nakka§hane appears  to  denote  the  society of

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