Page 153 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

~†131 *132
AN INLAID JEWELLER'S CHEST A PORTRAIT OF HURREM SULTAN,
OTTOMAN TURKEY, 17TH CENTURY KNOWN AS ROXELANA (D. 1558)
Of rectangular form with wooden sides and VENETIAN SCHOOL, 17TH CENTURY
iron fittings and handles, the front opening Oil on canvas, depicting Hurrem Sultan, three
outwards and the top up to reveal a lattice of quarter length, in a jewelled headdress and red and
ivory inlaid drawers with geometric design, the gold embroidered robe, in front of classical pillar,
central also with mother-of-pearl rosettes, each with medallion reading 'ROSSA IMPERATRIX
with at least one small handle, some with secret TURCARUM', in gilt frame
compartments, the inside of the front panel Painting 44º x 34ºin. (112.5 x 87.2cm.);
decorated with an ivory inlaid star motif frame 51¿ x 40¬in. (129.8 x 103.3cm.)
15æ x 14¡ x 6ºin. (40 x 36.5 x 16cm.)
£20,000-30,000 US$23,000-34,000
£7,000-10,000 US$8,100-11,000 €23,000-34,000
€8,000-11,000
Haseki Sultan
With its front closed the exterior of this box, of The ‘Rossa Imperiatrix Turcarum’ medallion
plain dark wood with robust iron fittings, appears in the top-left corner, identifies the subject
rather spartan. However, once opened it is clear of our portrait as Hurrem Sultan, the wife of
that this was intended to impress with the face Sulayman the Magnificent (1494-1566). ‘Rossa’
of each drawer painstakingly inlaid. A wide and alludes to her European heritage, as she was
shallow upper drawer gives a hint at the purpose taken from her native Ruthenia at childhood and
of the box as it was doubtless for containing a set later presented to Sulayman [WR1] as a slave
of scales. Hidden cavities and secret drawers only concubine. She eventually became Haseki Sultan,
accessible through the back of the main drawers chief consort and Sulayman’s favourite, who
give further clues that this was a travelling broke tradition by freeing and then marrying her
jeweller’s work chest. Lockable, portable (the side as his Empress. Although gossip among both
handles no doubt intended for straps), and with the Ottomans and Europeans asserted [WR2]
secret compartments for safely concealing the that she had bewitched the Sultan, her influence
most valuable materials, the chest is both highly over him established her as one of the most
functional yet impressive when open. Another powerful women of her age. Indeed, she was
very similar Ottoman jeweller’s box was sold in most notoriously known for her complicity in a
these Rooms, 8 April 2008. plot that promoted her own son at the expense of
Sulayman’s oldest, a son by another concubine.
This lot contains elephant ivory material and is
offered with the benefit of being registered as
‘exempt’ in the UK in accordance with the UK Roxelana
Ivory Act. Please note that it is your responsibility The legend of ‘La Sultana Rossa’ or Roxelana, as
to determine and satisfy the requirements of any she is better known in the West, and the harem
applicable regulations relating to the export or which she was part of, enjoyed widespread
import of any lot you purchase. attention in Europe. The fascination with the
harem, commonly referred to as the Seraglio
by European writers, was largely due to its
inaccessibly, forbidden and exotic nature and thus
any descriptions or indeed visual representations
of the harem were largely an exercise in fantasy.
This portrait depicts Roxelana in the Venetian
tradition, with the Renaissance ideals of beauty:
pale white skin, full lips, and thin eyebrows. by women of the harem that could be put on Cornaro Queen of Cyprus, and even her own
The layered, elaborate costume and turban- headgear. This painting, is one of a number of daughter, Cameria. In a recent article, Julien
like headdress, however, distinctly identify imagined portraits of sultanas that began to Raby demonstrates that a portrait in the
her as ‘other’. It is interesting to note that her appear in the mid-sixteenth century, showing Uffizi associated with Titian’s workshop and
lavish overcoat evokes the rich trade of luxury women of the harem as individuals of wealth and traditionally labelled Caterina Cornaro is in fact a
textiles and velvets that were traded between political status, although from an imagined and portrait of Hurrem Sultan (see J. Raby, 'Mistaken
the Ottoman courts and Venetian merchants at somewhat idealised Western perspective (Madar, Identities', Cornucopia , issue 63, 2021). A similar
this time. Portraits of ‘La Sultana Rossa’ were op.cit, p.10.) case could potentially be made for a painting of
largely disseminated by Italian and Northern Cameria at the Courtauld Gallery, London (inv.
European artists, dating to the 1530s and 1540s: Mistaken identities no.331), which shares many similarities with our
for example a woodcut portrait by Sebald Beham This and other possible depictions of Roxelana portrait of Hurrem Sultan.
and an anonymous work published by Matteo may ultimately derive from a lost portrait by Other versions of the paintings of Roxelana and
Pagani (ca.1540) (Madar, op.cit, pp.12-13[WR3] Titian, who Vasari records as having also painted Mihrimah are found at the Pera Museum, Istanbul
) The headdresses in these prints, much like in portraits of Sulayman and their daughter, (inv.no.102) and Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire (inv.
this painting, are largely imaginative and are Mihrimah Sultan, also known as Cameria no.996348). Similar paintings were sold in these
likely to have been an attempt to feminize the (1522-1578). This may have contributed to a rooms, 31st March 2022, lot 118 and Sotheby’s,
Ottoman turban. The elaborate jewel at the longstanding confusion relating to Roxelana’s London, 27 October 2021, lot 168 whilst a full
front of Hurrem Sultan’s headdress, however, is identity: Images of her have been confused body portrait was sold by Sotheby’s, London, 10
possibly an aigrette, a type of ornament worn with Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Caterina June 2020, lot 216.

150 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty 151
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.