Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art of the Khalili Collection
Kitab al-Hadi al-Muhammadi fi'l-Tibb al-Nabawi (Treatise on Prophetic Medicine) with the tughra (monogram, left) of Suleiman the Magnificent, 1520
Date1995–2004
VenueLocations in Switzerland, the UK, Israel, and the US
TypeArt exhibition
ThemeOttoman Empire

Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art of the Khalili Collection was a touring exhibition displaying objects from the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. Around two hundred exhibits, including calligraphy, textiles, pottery, weapons, and metalwork, illustrated the art and daily life of 600 years of the Ottoman Empire.[1] In the 1990s, the exhibition was hosted by institutions in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Israel. It visited thirteen cities in the United States from 2000 to 2004: a period when Islam became especially controversial due to the September 11 attacks and the subsequent wars in the Middle East. Critics praised the exhibition for showing beautiful art works and for presenting a fresh view of Islam. Catalogues were published in English and French.

Background

The Ottoman Empire at its peak at the end of Suleiman the Magnificent's reign

The Ottoman Empire lasted from the 13th century until 1922 and, at its peak, had territory in three continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa.[2] In 1516, the empire took over the holy places of Islam in Arabia.[3] Although officially an Islamic state, the empire promoted a religious tolerance that was unusual for medieval Europe.[4]

The empire's rulers, the sultans, were keen patrons of the arts, especially calligraphy. They employed the best available calligraphers to copy out Qurans and decorate them with gold and floral or arabesque patterns.[5] During the 16th-century reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the empire expanded around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, bringing great wealth back to the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. Suleiman and the later sultans used this wealth to build large, domed mosque complexes that included schools and hospitals.[4]

Sir Nasser David Khalili is a British/ Iranian scholar, collector, and philanthropist who has assembled the world's largest private collection of Islamic art.[6][7] The Khalili Collection of Islamic Art spans the time period from 700 to 2000 and includes art works and other objects with secular or religious purposes. Empire of the Sultans was the first exhibition drawn entirely from this collection[8] and the first major exhibition at the School of Oriental and African Studies' Brunei Gallery.[9][10] Some of its objects had never before been put on public display.[11]

Content

Refer to caption
Calligraphic composition on horse chestnut leaf, 19th century

The exhibition's curators were J. M. Rogers, the collection's honorary curator; and Nahla Nassar, its acting curator and registrar. The exhibits fell into four sections. "In the service of God" displayed texts including the Quran as well as furniture and ornaments for decorating mosques. "Sultans, soldiers and scribes" included armour, banners, and documents relating to the administration of the empire. "Arts and crafts" included metalwork, textiles, glass, and ceramics. Finally, "books, paintings and scripts" included manuscript paintings, calligraphic works, tools associated with calligraphy, and book bindings.[12] Most objects in the exhibition bore some form of calligraphy.[13]

Some venues had listening stations that let visitors listen to music from Ottoman Turkey and to hear stories in Arabic and English.[14] At Brigham Young University, carpenters recreated facades of Turkish mosques.[5]

In the service of God

The religious manuscripts included thirty calligraphed Qurans[15][1] and other literary works including the Masnavi of Rumi[16] and the Dala'il al-Khayrat, a collection of prayers.[17] The Qurans included the work of notable calligraphers including Ahmed Karahisari, Sheikh Hamdullah,[18] Hâfiz Osman,[19] and Mustafa Izzet Efendi.[20] Architectural inscriptions were a feature of Ottoman mosque interiors, with Quranic quotes or the names of the prophet Muhammad and of the first four caliphs painted onto wooden roundels[21] or embroidered onto silk or satin textiles. The examples in the exhibition included textiles made for the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.[22] There were qibla compasses used to find the direction of Mecca for prayer[23] and astrolabe quadrants used to tell the time for prayer from the rising of stars.[24]

Sultans, soldiers and scribes

Refer to caption
Chamfron and cheek-pieces (armour for a horse), 18th century

The armour, forged from iron or steel, included helmets, chain mail shirts, and a 15th century war mask.[25] A talismanic shirt, decorated with Quranic quotations, prayers, and the 99 names of God, showed how warriors wore spiritual defences underneath their metal armour.[26] Some of this armour was for horses: chamfrons which protected their faces and also served an ornamental purpose.[26] Weapons on display included daggers, swords, and flintlock guns, many with inscriptions and fine decorative patterns created by damascening (inlaying gold and silver wires into a metal surface).[27] The daggers and swords included the earliest surviving example of a curved Islamic sword[1] upon which was engraved the name of Baybars, a 13th-century Mamluk sultan. The Ottomans took this from Egypt and added gold damascening.[28][29] Military banners bore the names of God and Muhammad along with prayers and invocations.[30] An image distinctive to Ottoman banners was Zulfiqar, the two-bladed sword that Muhammad is said to have taken at the Battle of Badr. A section of one such banner was included in the exhibition.[31]

The documents included grants of land and income. As official proclamations of the sultan, these used highly ornate, stylised calligraphy and incorporated the sultan's tughra, an elaborate monogram that was their official seal. The display included tughras of Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II, Murad III, Ahmed I, Mehmed IV, Abdul Hamid I, and Abdulmecid I.[32] Two manuscripts told histories of the sultans, illustrated with portrait paintings.[33]

Arts and crafts

Refer to caption
Four tiles from a frieze with a calligraphed inscription from the 17th chapter of the Quran, c. 1550

The third section included metalwork, pottery, jade, and textiles. The domestic metalwork objects were made of silver, brass, or gilt copper.[34] The textiles, from the 16th and 17th centuries, included rugs and woven silk lampas panels from locations around the Ottoman Empire.[35]

In the late 16th century, the Ottomans used Iznik pottery, with its bold colours on white, to decorate imperial palaces and mosques.[36] Several examples from Iznik were included in the exhibition, including tiles, dishes, and vases.[37] Other pottery on display came from Syria, among which were a set of twelve fritware bowls from 1860, each inscribed in Arabic with "Imperial Chamber" and "a gift for his excellency Abraham Lincoln".[38] A 16th or 17th century tile panel, 207 by 112.5 centimetres (6.79 ft × 3.69 ft), bore two calligraphed statements of faith, suggesting it was made to decorate a mosque.[38]

Books, paintings and scripts

The final section of the exhibition included calligraphic works, manuscript paintings, decorative book bindings, and tools used by calligraphers.[39]

The calligraphic works included single panels, albums, and inscriptions on leaves. Among their scribes were notable calligraphers such as Sheikh Hamdullah, Mahmud Celaleddin Efendi, and Mehmed Şevkî Efendi.[40] In the 19th century it was routine for sultans to be trained in calligraphy; the exhibition had examples from two, Abdulmejid I and Mahmud II.[41] One type of calligraphic work special to Islam is the hilye, a description in words of the qualities of the prophet Muhammad. Some hilyes were also made for other prophets of Islam.[42] On display were several examples of hilyes: some following a standard pattern, and others with unconventional layouts or textual inclusions.[43]

The paintings and drawings included portrait paintings from poetry manuscripts and two examples of the saz style which combines fantastical foliage and creatures.[44]

Venues

Refer to caption
Flask from Iznik, c. 1560-80

The exhibition travelled to a total of sixteen venues in three countries.[45]

  • Musée Rath, Geneva, Switzerland, July – September 1995
  • Brunei Gallery, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK, July – October 1996
  • Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel, December 1996 – June 1997

United States tour

The exhibition was shown at these thirteen venues in the United States.[45]

Reception and legacy

Refer to caption
War mask, late 15th century

Reviewing the Geneva exhibition for the Financial Times, Susan Moore observed that "no other single collection outside Istanbul has the range of material" to put on such a wide-ranging overview of Ottoman culture. She identified its main achievement as its insight into how the Ottoman world was affected by its conquest of other territories.[46] Alan Riding in The New York Times described the calligraphy from the later years of the Ottoman Empire as "works of extraordinary delicacy".[47] Reviewing the London exhibition for The Times, John Russell Taylor found it a pity that some of the most interesting objects shown in Geneva had been excluded from the Brunei Gallery (usually for lack of space), but said that the somewhat reduced display still included "many real gems of significant art".[48] The Middle East magazine found that the Brunei Gallery offered a "beautifully curated" show that "cleverly illustrates how art was an integral part of Ottoman daily life".[49] The New Statesman recommended "an unmissable exhibition" that showed Ottoman culture on its own terms rather than following Western preconceptions.[50]

The Albuquerque Tribune described Empire of the Sultans as a "stunning exhibit of treasures of the Ottoman Empire" whose 225 objects "are simply breathtaking".[51] The Columbian concluded from the Portland exhibition that "Nasser D. Khalili's collection of Islamic art treasures is so extensive it nearly brings the Ottoman Empire to life."[11] The Associated Press praised the beauty of the calligraphy which could be appreciated even by visitors who do not understand Arabic writing.[52] The New York Times described "[t]his treasure trove of a show" at the Bruce Museum as having "an impressive sweep".[1] Reviewing for the San Francisco Chronicle, David Bonetti found all the objects "at least interesting" and the best "gorgeous", naming the carpets and ceramics as highlights.[53] For The Capital Times, Kevin Lynch described the Milwaukee exhibition as a "serenely gorgeous show" and "a must-see for those who want clarity in these troubling times."[54] In his review of the year for 2002, Lynch named Empire of the Sultans as the fourth best visual arts event.[55] Describing the Brigham Young University exhibition as a "[p]art decorative art extravaganza, part cultural history lesson", The Salt Lake Tribune praised it for sharing the artistic culture of the Islamic world at a time when news mentions of Islam were dominated by war in the Middle East.[5] In The Oklahoman, John Brandenburg advised that the "magnificent blend of art and science as well as military and cultural history" may require more than one visit to take in. For him, the calligraphy section was the strongest part of the exhibition.[28]

The US senator John Edwards said of the North Carolina exhibition in 2002, "Since Sept. 11, Americans have been asking more questions about this area of the world and about Islam and Islamic cultures in general. The Museum of Art's exhibition offers opportunities to enhance our understanding of Islam's rich and varied cultural history, as well as the events happening today."[56] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution described the calligraphy and miniature paintings as highlights.[57] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette saw the exhibition as an alternative both to the way Islam was being portrayed in news reports and to a romanticised view of the Arabic world as mysterious and distant.[13]

Publications

A catalogue by J. M. Rogers was first published in both English and French in 1995 to coincide with the exhibition at the Musée Rath in Geneva. This included colour photographs of 203 exhibited objects.[8] Updated English editions accompanied the Brunei Gallery exhibition in 1996.[58] Fourth and fifth editions of the catalogue were produced for the United States tour, including 226 objects.[59][60]

  • Rogers, J. M. (1995). Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art from the Collection of Nasser D. Khalili. Geneva: Musée d'Art et d'Histoire. ISBN 1-898592-04-7. OCLC 34380041.
  • Rogers, J. M. (1995). L'empire des sultans: l'art ottoman dans la collection de Nasser D. Khalili (in French). Geneva: Musée d'Art et d'Histoire. ISBN 9782830601190. OCLC 716306659.
  • Rogers, J. M. (1996). Empire of the Sultans : Ottoman art from the collection of Nasser D. Khalili. London: Azimuth Ed. ISBN 9781898592075. OCLC 475490537.
  • Rogers, J. M. (2000). Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman art of the Khalili Collection (4 ed.). London: Nour Foundation. ISBN 9780883971321. OCLC 471619620.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Zimmer, William (4 November 2001). "A Treasure Trove Of Ottoman Arts Over the Centuries". New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015.
  2. ↑ A ́goston, Ga ́bor; Masters, Bruce Alan (21 May 2010). Encyclopedia of the Ottoman Empire. Infobase Publishing. p. 467. ISBN 978-1-4381-1025-7.
  3. ↑ "'Sultans' to visit BYU". Deseret News. 1 June 2002. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  4. 1 2 Richards, E. Liza (Fall 2002). "Empire of the Sultans". Y Magazine. Brigham Young University.
  5. 1 2 3 Griggs, Brandon (11 August 2002). "A Dynasty's Treasures". The Salt Lake Tribune. pp. D1. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  6. ↑ Moore, Susan (12 May 2012). "A leap of faith". Financial Times. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  7. ↑ "BBC World Service – Arts & Culture – Khalili Collection: Picture gallery". BBC. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Empire of the Sultans. Ottoman Art from the Collection of Nasser D. Khalili, Musée Rath, Geneva, Switzerland". Khalili Collections. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "Empire of the Sultans". SOAS. 23 May 1996. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Empire of the Sultans". The Times. 23 May 1996. Retrieved 19 October 2023 – via Factiva.
  11. 1 2 Pierce Rusunen, Annie (25 January 2001). "Empire Strikes Back". The Columbian. pp. D1. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  12. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 5.
  13. 1 2 Thomas, Mary (25 November 2003). "Fabulous Frick Exhibit Explores Ottoman Culture". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. pp. D-1. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021.
  14. ↑ "Exhibitions". Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts. 75 (3/4): 19–25. 2001. ISSN 0011-9636. JSTOR 23182679.
  15. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 44–81.
  16. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 101.
  17. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 110.
  18. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 50.
  19. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 64.
  20. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 76.
  21. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 26–35.
  22. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 106.
  23. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 114–115.
  24. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 118–120.
  25. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 141–149.
  26. 1 2 Rogers 2000, p. 149.
  27. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 154–158.
  28. 1 2 Brandenburg, John (7 March 2003). "'Empire of the Sultans' shows dynasty's art, weaponry collection". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  29. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 154.
  30. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 135.
  31. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 137.
  32. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 169–177.
  33. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 170–175.
  34. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 185–191.
  35. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 218–230.
  36. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 192.
  37. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 193–198.
  38. 1 2 Rogers 2000, pp. 203–208.
  39. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 235.
  40. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 249, 256, 260.
  41. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 262.
  42. ↑ Rogers 2000, p. 268.
  43. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 268–274.
  44. ↑ Rogers 2000, pp. 240–244.
  45. 1 2 Khalili, David (2023). The Art of Peace: Eight collections, one vision. London: Penguin Random House. pp. 248–252. ISBN 978-1-52991-818-2.
  46. ↑ Moore, Susan (22 July 1995). "Arts - Ottoman Opulence". Financial Times. p. 14. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  47. ↑ Riding, Alan (22 August 1995). "Ottoman Art: Seeking A Robust Image". The New York Times. p. 13. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  48. ↑ Taylor, John Russell (31 July 1996). "Turkey with all the trimmings". The Times. p. 30. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  49. ↑ Andrews, Beverly (1 October 1996). "Empire of the Sultans. (Brunei Gallery, London, England)". The Middle East. No. 260. p. 42. ISSN 0305-0734. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  50. ↑ Baker, Phil (26 July 1996). "Ottoman art". New Statesman. p. 42 – via Gale Onefile.
  51. ↑ Mobley-Martinez, T. D. (27 October 2000). "Spectacularly mysterious". The Albuquerque Tribune. pp. C1 – via Gale OneFile.
  52. ↑ Burghart, Tara (17 February 2001). "Exhibit at Portland museum showcases centuries of Ottoman art". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  53. ↑ Bonetti, David (1 August 2001). "Treasures of the Ottoman empire / Centuries of intricate artifacts at the Asian". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  54. ↑ Lynch, Kevin (27 March 2002). "'Empire of the Sultans' showcases Islamic art; stunning exhibit at Milwaukee Museum unveils clues to understanding culture". The Capital Times. Madison Newspapers. pp. 1D. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  55. ↑ Lynch, Kevin (24 December 2002). "2002 in Review; a look at Madison's best visual, performing arts". The Capital Times. Madison Newspapers. pp. 1C. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  56. ↑ "The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC, Presents an Exhibition Featuring the Culture of the Ottoman Empire". Carolina Arts. May 2002. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  57. ↑ Fox, Catherine (4 September 2003). "Vizarts: Ottomans conquer Macon". The Atlanta Journal - Constitution. p. 25. Retrieved 7 September 2023 – via Factiva.
  58. ↑ "Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art from the Khalili Collection,Brunei Gallery, London and Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel". Khalili Collections. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  59. ↑ "Empire of the Sultans. Ottoman Art from the Khalili Collection, US tour of the exhibitions". Khalili Collections. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  60. ↑ "Empire of the Sultans : Ottoman art from the Khalili collection". WorldCat. Retrieved 20 September 2023.

Sources

  • Rogers, J. M. (2000). Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman art of the Khalili Collection (4 ed.). London: Nour Foundation. ISBN 9780883971321. OCLC 471619620.
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