Page 64 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

tains pale-green jade plaques inlaid with twisted gold wires scrolls, filigree, and niello inlay, displaying a virtuosity sel-
that define the central medallion with pendants, the corner dom attempted even by master goldsmiths.
quadrants, and the borders. These areas as well as the field The Topkapi Palace owns a number of similar jade and
are filled by similarly constructed scrolls that bear leaves and gold Koran bindings encrusted with gems, some including
blossoms with gem-encrusted centers: emeralds in the span- filigree panels and nielloed sections. 42 Several have been re-
drels and rubies in the other units. The fore-edge flap, with a moved from the manuscripts and those that are intact are not
large central medallion flanked by two pairs of smaller ones, dated. An exception is a hexagonal sancak Koran with a jade
has emeralds applied to the central blossoms of the four lat- binding (21), its colophon stating that it was transcribed in
eral panels and rubies in the remaining ones. The flexible 1570/1571 by Mehmed Tahir. The technique and style of dec-
spine, constructed of a series of gold chains, bears a cartouche oration of its binding are identical to the one described above.
with a filigree inscription placed on a red-enameled ground; The covers are made of jade plaques inlaid with gold and set
the cartouche, which appears to have been added in the with emeralds and rubies; gold chains are used on the spine
eighteenth century, states that the work is the vakif of Eyüb and the binding closes like a box, held by a clasp that has
Pa§a, an otherwise unidentified person. The flap has a simple three blossoms. Emeralds appear in the center of the covers,
gold-inlaid rumi scroll. Gold chains fasten all four compo- in two of the small blossoms in the surrounding scroll, and in
nents of the binding, enabling the covers to move freely. the outer buds of the clasp. The remaining flowers are set
The inlay technique on the jade panels was employed on a with rubies.
number of other bindings: twisted gold wire was embedded The interior, covered with reddish-brown leather, has a
into grooves carved into the jade, as were the leaves and six- large medallion enclosing a gold-stamped scroll. The under-
petaled blossoms, both of which have chased details; the cen- side of the clasp is gold and chased with a central cypress tree
ters of the blossoms contain raised ring collars, which hold flanked by tulips and carnations. The text, transcribed in gu-
the gems above the surface and create a relief effect. The bari, has an illuminated serlevha, chapter headings, and verse
gems vary in size, with the largest ones applied to the centers stops. The name of the same calligraphier appears in a calli-
of the units; they are not faceted, but cabochon-cut. graphic sample incorporated into the famous album compiled
The interior, constructed of gold, is the most complex por- for Murad III. This folio, written in talik in 1553/1554, is the
tion of the binding and reveals several different techniques. only other known example signed by Mehmed Tahir. 43
The front and back covers have central oval plaques deco- The bookbinders, calligraphers, and illuminators of the
rated with saz scrolls, inlaid with niello, and placed on a court also produced other types of religious manuscripts, in-
minutely hatched ground. Enclosing each plaque is a second cluding texts devoted to the description of pilgrimage routes
oval with filigree rumi scrolls lined with blue paper embel- and sites that served as illustrated guides to the holy cities.
lished with gold florals. The remaining portion of the covers The earliest in the series is the Futuh el-Harameyn of Muhyi
has saz scrolls on a background inlaid with niello. Both the Lari (died 1526), who wrote the guide in Persian verse and
nielloed and plain gold motifs are enhanced by additional dedicated it in 1506 to the sultan of Gujerat, Muzaffer b.
chasing. The flap displays similar elements with medallions Mahmud (1511-1526), who in turn is thought to have pre-
bearing nielloed saz scrolls placed on a filigree rumi field sented it to the Safavid ruler, Ismail.
lined with blue paper. The fore-edge flap has a gold car- The first illustrated version of this text was produced in Sü-
touche with an inscription inlaid with niello containing the leyman's court around 1540 and contains thirteen topo-
popular verse from the Koran that pertains to the divine rev- graphic scenes, beginning with the representation of the Mes-
elation of the holy book: "Certainly it is an honored Koran, cid-i Haram (Sacred Mosque) enclosing the Kaaba in Mecca
in a book that is protected, none shall touch it save the puri- (22). On the lower right is the entrance gate to the com-
fied, [it is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds/' pound leading into a large courtyard surrounded by two rows
It has been suggested that the exterior and interior portions of colonnades with oil lamps hanging between the columns.
of the covers were made by different artists and that the inte- Four minarets appear at the corners of the courtyard, which
rior is one of the earliest examples attributed to Mehmed, the is filled with several small structures and minbars; in the cen-
chief goldsmith. Mehmed, who is listed as Mehmed Bosna in ter is the Kaaba, enclosed by a circular arcade.
the 1596 and 1605 payroll registers, 41 appears to have origi- The other paintings in the text depict the sites around
nated from Bosnia and entered the society of goldsmiths Mecca, the tomb of the Prophet and the Mescid-i Nebi (Mos-
around 1570. Attributed to him are such masterpieces as the que of the Prophet) in Medina, the plain of Arafat, and other
imperial gold and jade canteen (see 54), the crown presented areas visited by the pilgrims. The scenes, shown both in
to Stephen Bocskay in 1605 by Ahmed I (now in the Treas- bird's-eye view and in elevation, accurately depict the sites
ury of Vienna), and the decorative elements added to several and the buildings, their style recalling the topographic paint-
sacred swords associated with the Prophet Muhammed. His ings of Nasuh, which must have inspired the painter. The art-
style combines delicately chased and repoussé rumi and saz ist not only followed the text, but appears to have used his

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