Tenture ornée de la tughra du sultan ottoman Mahmoud II (1808-1839)

Lot 118
Go to lot
Estimation :
5000 - 7000 EUR
Tenture ornée de la tughra du sultan ottoman Mahmoud II (1808-1839)
Ottoman Empire Rectangular satin curtain (sitarah) in vermilion red, embroidered with gold and silver metallic threads, decorated in the middle part with a large calligraphic cartouche of a verse from the Quran (S. XXI, verse 107) on a silver background. In the upper part, a central roundel is inscribed with a part of the Verse of Light (S. XXIV, v. 35), as well as two roundels with the Shahada on a background of floral garlands. In the lower part, four roundels with the names of the first four caliphs surround the tughra of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II inscribed in a laurel wreath. The whole stands out on a background of floral stems. Large border of arabesques and volutes. Condition : Small stains and wear. Expert L.S. Inscriptions : In the upper part: Sura of Light (Nur) XXIV, verse 35, "Allah nur al-samawat wal-ardh" (God is the light of the heavens and the earth), followed by two medallions containing the Shahada (There is no god but God / Muhammad is his Prophet) The central cartouche: Sura XXI (The Prophets), verse 107, "wa ma arsalnaka illa rahmata lil-alamîn" (We have only sent you as a mercy to the worlds) In the lower part, the names of the four Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and 'Ali surround the tughra of Sultan Mahmud II (1223-55 AH /1808-39). An almond-shaped medallion mentions: "Mahmud the Conqueror son of Abdülhamid wrote it", and the honorary signature of the Sultan "Adli". H. : 304 cm ; W. : 181 cm The Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, whose tughra adorns this hanging, was an avid calligrapher. His honorary signature next to his tughra and the inscription in the almond-shaped medallion suggest that he was personally involved in the design of this hanging. It is, however, difficult to date this type of hangings in the name of Mahmud II, which were made in Egypt or Saudi Arabia in the 19th century, but also later. Most of these hangings are on a black or green background, some were explicitly intended to cover the interior walls of the Prophet's tomb (Haram al-nabawi) in Medina. There are few examples of hangings with an entirely red background like this one, whose use and purpose are not specified in the epigraphic text.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue