Inside the Harem at Topkapi Palace
Beginning in the 14th century, the vast Ottoman Empire dominated the eastern Mediterranean for 600 years, dazzling and terrifying the nations in its wake, and creating one of the most brilliant traditions of Islamic art under imperial patronage. The skyline, streets, museums, and neighborhoods of old Istanbul, its capital, still bear witness to the Ottoman heritage. In a fascinating program, art historian Lawrence Butler introduces major figures, styles, and monuments of the Ottoman period, and explores their continuing impact on Turkish culture today.
9:30–10:45 a.m. The Sultan’s Image
Mehmet II and Suleyman the Magnificent extended their imperial powers through the arts of warfare and the arts of the book. Mehmet’s siege of Constantinople in 1453 has left us the mighty fortress of Rumeli Hisar, and the Janissary Band still marches in Ottoman regalia at Istanbul’s Military Museum today. Venetian and Persian artists were summoned to record their reigns in portraits and imperial albums, creating a distinctive and brilliant Ottoman painting style.
11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Inside the Harem
Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace preserves its extraordinary carpets, Iznik tiles, silk textiles, and gem-studded treasures. Explore the Ottoman decorative arts, their production, and their distinctive floral styles. Examine the fascinating world of the palace harem, newly restored and never glimpsed by outsiders until modern times.
12:15–1:30 p.m. Lunch (participants provide their own).
1:30 to 2:45 p.m. Architecture of Sinan
Turkey’s cities are dominated by the domes and minarets of Sinan, the greatest Ottoman architect, as well as those created by his followers—and their style still influences some contemporary architects. Explore Istanbul’s vast Suleymaniye Mosque complex, the Rustem Pasha Mosque tucked into the spice markets, and the towering Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, the crowning masterpiece of Sinan’s old age.
3–4:15 p.m. The Tulip Period and Beyond
Interchange among European cultures produced some of the most intriguing arts of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Tulip Period parallels the European rococo, and is reflected in depictions and influences of the Ottoman world in Mozart’s operas and Voltaire’s Candide. Foreign embassies brought European style to Istanbul’s Pera district, and the great seaside mansions of Istanbul culminated in the Dolmabahce Palace. Orientalist paintings by Gerome, Delacroix, and the Ottoman Osman Hamdi Bey display a shared romantic fascination with the exoticized Ottoman Empire.
Butler is associate professor of art history and art history undergraduate director at George Mason University.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
Smithsonian Connections
Take a look at the opulent robes in the Freer and Sackler Galleries’ online exhibition Style and Status: Imperial Costumes from Ottoman Turkey.
