Tughra of Sultan Suleiman
7:00 AM
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| Unknown artist, Tughra of Sultan Soleiman, 1520 |
This 16th century piece is interesting both for its composition and its purpose. Created for the exaltation of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), the piece is a clear standout in the tughra style itself, using a more ornate and colorful arrangement than other tughras of the time. While the picture's a bit heavy on the left, it’s balanced slightly by the long tail of the script. The specific makeup of the script, its massive curves and stacked writing, are all emblematic of the tughra form and carry specific meaning: the loops on the left represent the extent of the Sultan’s control, while the three risen strokes near to the center represent the flags of the Ottoman empire, as well as their independence. Interestingly enough, the script is written in Turkish, not Arabic, a more common language in Islamic art. As striking as the art may be, no artist is credited with it as the tughra was meant to be the official seal of the Ottoman sultan.
For me, this painting is striking not in its reservations, but in its relative bombast. As opposed to allegories or compositional symbolism, the tughra art form, and this artist in particular, eschew any kind of pretense and use script as the main factor for portraying the grandeur of its subject. It's showy, it's gorgeous and it's clearly made with imperial aspirations in mind. It's both religiously reserved and boastful, representing clearly a sultan who was larger than life, but still beneath God. Much like more Western pieces, this tughra communicates the core tenets of empire without feeling over-the-top or superficial. Upon further analysis I was surprised that this work, like a minimalist portrait, conveys all we need to know about the Sultan but does so in a way that still falls within the tughra style.
To me, the piece carries a distinct and stately feel to it, undoubtedly because of its complex design. The large calligraphy and ornate patterns feel luxurious, especially when juxtaposed with the bare off-white background. The color scheme too seems to carry an air of royalty, with the mostly blue and gold patterns and scripts evoking other royal seals from other preeminent empires (the English coat of arms comes to mind). During the reign of Suleiman he undoubtedly wanted to put the Ottomans on par with other mostly Western imperial powers like the English and Spanish, and this seal gets that message across quite concisely.
To me, the piece carries a distinct and stately feel to it, undoubtedly because of its complex design. The large calligraphy and ornate patterns feel luxurious, especially when juxtaposed with the bare off-white background. The color scheme too seems to carry an air of royalty, with the mostly blue and gold patterns and scripts evoking other royal seals from other preeminent empires (the English coat of arms comes to mind). During the reign of Suleiman he undoubtedly wanted to put the Ottomans on par with other mostly Western imperial powers like the English and Spanish, and this seal gets that message across quite concisely.
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