THE SULTAN’S WORLD
The Ottoman Orient in Renaissance Art
The exhibition focuses on the power of attraction which the Ottoman Empire exercises
on Western artists such as Bellini, Dürer, Memling and Tintoretto. They were inspired
by the Ottoman culture and the pomp and circumstance of the courtly life of the sultans.
The mutual fascination brought about a never before seen cultural exchange between
East and West.
27.02 > 31.05.2015
Paolo Veronese (School), Sultan Bajezid I © Collection Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, München ||| Titian (Studio), La Sultana
Rossa, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the State Arte Museum of Florida, Florida State University, Sarasota, Florida |||
Albrecht Dürer, Oriental Rider, about 1495 © Albertina, Wien
29 May 1453: Constantinople falls. The victory of the Ottomans heralds the end of the Byzantine
Empire and forms a turning point in history. In spite of the numerous military conflicts a mutual
power of attraction and fascination for the culture of “the other” was also growing in the West
during the existence of the Ottoman Empire (1453-1918).
Trade and diplomatic journeys between East and West were very common as of the 16th century.
Artists often accompanied the official delegations on their journey to the Bosporus region in order to
observe the customs and traditions in the Ottoman Empire from closer quarters. They played an
important role in the depiction of ‘the other’ via travel accounts, costume books and works of art
which they took with them.
The Western image of ‘the Turk’ was often over-simplified and permeated by fear and clichés. At the
same time the Ottoman discipline and military power was looked upon with admiration. In
particular, the high-minded Ottoman culture and knowledge, and the oriental pomp and
circumstance of the sultan’s court appealed to the Western imagination.
Exhibition: “The Sultan’s World”
The exhibition The Sultan’s World. The Ottoman Orient in Renaissance Art demonstrates this
ambivalent power of attraction which the culture of the Ottoman Empire exercised on
Western artists from the Renaissance. The public discovers works from artists such as Gentile
Bellini, Albrecht Dürer, Jacopo Tintoretto, Melchior Lork, Hans von Aachen and Hans
Memling and works from Paolo Veronese and his studio. The Sultan’s World brings together in 6
thematic chapters around 160 works of art and valuable objects (such as paintings, etchings,
sumptuous fabrics, scientific instruments, coins, refined manuscripts, luxurious carpets and oriental
weaponry) from the period of ca. 1420 till ca. 1620. Particular focus will also be placed on the art
from Hungary and Poland, countries which were both in direct contact with the Ottomans.
The works come from renowned international art institutions such as the National Gallery
(London), the Metropolitan Museum (New York), the British Museum (London), Galleria degli Uffizi
(Florence), Staatliche Museen (Berlin)… We can count on the support of the Kunsthistorische Museum
(Vienna) for an important series of masterpieces.
The exhibition concept was elaborated by Dr.Guido Messling, curator of German Painting in the
Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Previously he was also curator of the exhibition The World of
Lucas Cranach in the Centre for Fine Arts Brussels (2010) and in the Musée du Luxembourg (2011) in
Paris. Dr. Guido Messling works for The Sultan’s World along with Dr. Robert Born, former head of
the “Ottoman Orient and East Central Europe” project group at the Research Centre for the History
and Culture of East Central Europe (GWZO) in Leipzig. Co-curator Michał Dziewulski is attached to
the National museum in Krakow.
International project: “Ottomans and Europeans, reflecting on 5 centuries of cultural
relations”
The Sultan’s World is one of the central activities of the project Ottomans and Europeans,
reflecting on 5 centuries of cultural relations. This international collaboration project places
the cultural relations of the past and present between Europe and the Ottoman Empire /
Turkey at its centre. The project, supported by the European Commission, is being carried out
between 2013 and 2016 with five international partners: the National Museum in Krakow
(Poland), the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (Austria), the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and
Art (Turkey), the Pistoletto Foundation in Biella (Italy) and the Witte de With Centre for
Contemporary Art in Rotterdam (The Netherlands).
The project is composed of 3 parts: readings, artists’ residences and exhibitions. After the
Centre for Fine Arts The Sultan’s World exhibition will travel to the National Museum in Krakow
(26.06 > 27.09.2015)
2015: Focus on Turkey in the Centre for Fine Arts
The English-Turkish writer Elif Shafak – known for the bestsellers The forty rules of love and The
Bastard of Istanbul – is ambassador of the international project. She writes texts for the visitors’
guide of the exhibition The Sultan’s World and is even coming to the BOZAR for an exclusive
encounter on 28 May. Her latest novel The Architect’s apprentice is a historical tale which is set in
the golden age of the Ottoman Empire.
More info on www.bozar.be.
We will be focusing on Turkey in the autumn too. Europalia.Turkey spares no expense with two
major exhibitions in the Centre for Fine Arts, Anatolia and Imagine Istanbul (working titles).Various
concerts and performances will also be on the programme.
More info on www.europalia.eu.
BOZAR EXPO spring 2015: Focus on ‘the other’
In the spring of 2015 BOZAR EXPO will focus on ‘the other’. The spring programme bridges the gap
between Renaissance portraits and contemporary portrait photography, between Europe and the
Ottoman Empire.
The diptych FACES THEN. Renaissance Portraits from the Low Countries and FACES
NOW. European Portrait Photography since 1990 offers a balanced view of the Western
painting tradition of portraiture. The portrait has a different status to a landscape or a still life: if
you look at a portrait, you are looking at “the other”.
To complement this BOZAR is putting on the exhibition The Sultan’s World. The Ottoman
Orient in Renaissance Art. Highlights include the portraits of the Eastern rulers and Western
merchants by Venetian masters such as Tintoretto, Bellini, Titian and Veronese’s workshop. The focus
on “the other” is thus extended to encompass another culture.
The three exhibitions together form fascinating links between time and space. They tell a multifaceted tale of the construction of identities and influences on perception, a debate that is
extremely relevant in this age of social media, selfies and rising globalisation. With these three
exhibitions the Centre for Fine Arts is providing its public with the opportunity to gain a broader
understanding of portraiture and the concept of representation from different perspectives.
What image does an artist decide to exhibit of himself, of others or of other cultures? To what extent
does this construction influence the perception of reality?
The entire programme is part of the Centre for Fine Art’s mission to come up with exhibitions which
focus on centuries of artistic cross-pollination and the history and identity of Europe.
Curators: Dr. Guido Messling, Dr. Robert Born, Michal Dziewulski
Scientific Committee : Prof. Dr. Suraiya Faroqhi, Dr. Paul Huvenne, Prof. Dariusz Kolodziejczyk, Prof. Dr. Günsel Renda
Coproduction: National Museum Kraków (Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie)
Partner: Polish Institute - Cultural Service of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Brussels
Support : Culture program of the European Union, Belgian Federal Public Service, Foreign Affairs, Foreign trade &
Development Cooperation
In the context of: Ottomans & Europeans. Reflecting on five centuries of cultural relations(2013-2016) www.ottomanseuropeans.eu
In collaboration with: National Museum Kraków, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Istanbul foundation for Culture and
Arts, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art Rotterdam, Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto Biella
Other venues : Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie (26.06 > 27.09.2015); the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna offers an
Ottoman-thematic tour throughout its precious collection (Spring 2015)
VISITOR INFORMATION
THE SULTAN’S WORLD
The Ottoman Orient in Renaissance Art
From 27 February until 31 May 2015
BOZAR – Centre For Fine Arts, Rue Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussels
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays: 10 am > 6 pm (Thursdays: 10 am > 9 pm)
Closed: Mondays
Tickets: € 12/10 (BOZARfriends)
Combitickets: The Sultan’s World + FACES NOW/FACES THEN: € 21/19
BOZAR INFO& TICKETS
www.bozar.be – info@bozar.be – 0032 2 507 82 00
PRESS CONTACT
leen.daems@bozar.be - T +32 2 507 83 89 – M. +32 479 98 66 07
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