- 315
An Ottoman talismanic shirt (tilsimli gomlek), Turkey, dated 991 AH/1583 AD
Estimate
60,000 - 80,000 GBP
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Description
- Distemper and gold on cloth
the cotton shirt covered with extracts from the Qur'an, prayers and talismanic numbers written in a variety of scripts and colours, arranged in medallions, squares, panels and cartouches of various shapes and sizes above a band with gilt scrolling foliate design, old Worcester Art Museum label to hem: 11154.3 and tag at sleeve: 40.1349
Provenance
Ex-collection Theron J. Damon, on loan to the Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts, since 1940
Exhibited
The Turks in History, The Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1 February - 15 March, 1954
Condition
In good but fragile condition, the colours generally bright, notably the gold, in good consideration considering fragility of materials and age, some running of coloured and black in with resulting stains and smudges, particularly to reverse, some of colours rubbed, the threads with some minor tears, external edges slightly frayed, some crease marks where folded, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
inscriptions
The inscriptions include numerous quotations from the Qur’an; prayers, including those mentioning Muhammad, the Four Orthodox Caliphs and their companions and a few written in squares; Qasidah al-Burdah in praise of the Prophet; God’s and Prophet’s attributes; invocations to God and Muhammad written in thuluth, muhaqqaq, naskh and nasta’liq and magic numbers in squares in various coloured ink and gold, dated along bottom edge: 991 AH/1583 AD.
Surah Yusuf (XII, verse 93):
'Take this, my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father; he will become seeing. And bring me your family, all together.'
This verse taken from the Qur’an refers to an episode in which the prophet Yusuf (Joseph) gives his own shirt, which holds protective talismanic properties, to his father, miraculously restoring his vision. The belief in the power of talismans is closely interlinked with the Qur’an, the word of God, in the Islamic tradition, and as such, works of art imbued with talismanic properties were often covered with Quranic verses. The above quote from the Qur’an demonstrates the direct association between an item of clothing (a shirt) and its talismanic properties. Furthermore, in the oral tradition, there are also tales which mention shirts which are impenetrable from bullets and swords, or that render the wearer invisible (Roxburgh 2005, p.458, no.322).
Most probably intended for an official of high rank, this striking talismanic shirt is of the highest quality, its original bold colours and bright gold highlight its strong geometric design centred on quotations from the Qur’an, prayers and invocations, offering the promise of protection to its wearer. The closest comparable example is in the Topkapi Sarayi Museum, Istanbul (inv.no.13/1182, see Roxburgh 2005, pp.344-5, no.322). It is also characterised by its gridded diamond-forms filled with combinations of multi-coloured numbers with borders filled with floral scrolls between bands of script. Another distinguishing feature is the hem, which has a border of gold hatayi flowers, characteristic of the period between 1480 and 1520 in Iznik production. A further link can be drawn with manuscript illumination, notably, a scroll of the Qur’an, also in the Topkapi Saray Museum (inv.no.E.H.485), which includes various forms of script arranged in a variety of shapes, with scrolling foliate stems in between to highlight the design (see Roxburgh 2005, p.321, cat.no.291).
This magnificent shirt, combined with the previous lot, formed part of the first exhibition dedicated to Turkish history, held at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, in 1954. As mentioned in the press release of the time, one of the central focuses of the exhibition lay in a visual compendium of the Turkish people, including: “The immense range of their wanderings and their extraordinary importance as conquerors and military rulers […]” of which the present shirt must have played an important exemplary role.
It is rare to find examples of Ottoman talismanic shirts outside Turkey, most being kept in the Topkapi Palace Museum and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Istanbul. Further examples are also in the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, London and the Islamic Art Museum, Malaysia.
Two other Ottoman talismanic shirts, with a slightly different layout and design, were sold in these rooms, 9 October 2013, lot 58 and 25 April 2012, lot 419.
The inscriptions include numerous quotations from the Qur’an; prayers, including those mentioning Muhammad, the Four Orthodox Caliphs and their companions and a few written in squares; Qasidah al-Burdah in praise of the Prophet; God’s and Prophet’s attributes; invocations to God and Muhammad written in thuluth, muhaqqaq, naskh and nasta’liq and magic numbers in squares in various coloured ink and gold, dated along bottom edge: 991 AH/1583 AD.
Surah Yusuf (XII, verse 93):
'Take this, my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father; he will become seeing. And bring me your family, all together.'
This verse taken from the Qur’an refers to an episode in which the prophet Yusuf (Joseph) gives his own shirt, which holds protective talismanic properties, to his father, miraculously restoring his vision. The belief in the power of talismans is closely interlinked with the Qur’an, the word of God, in the Islamic tradition, and as such, works of art imbued with talismanic properties were often covered with Quranic verses. The above quote from the Qur’an demonstrates the direct association between an item of clothing (a shirt) and its talismanic properties. Furthermore, in the oral tradition, there are also tales which mention shirts which are impenetrable from bullets and swords, or that render the wearer invisible (Roxburgh 2005, p.458, no.322).
Most probably intended for an official of high rank, this striking talismanic shirt is of the highest quality, its original bold colours and bright gold highlight its strong geometric design centred on quotations from the Qur’an, prayers and invocations, offering the promise of protection to its wearer. The closest comparable example is in the Topkapi Sarayi Museum, Istanbul (inv.no.13/1182, see Roxburgh 2005, pp.344-5, no.322). It is also characterised by its gridded diamond-forms filled with combinations of multi-coloured numbers with borders filled with floral scrolls between bands of script. Another distinguishing feature is the hem, which has a border of gold hatayi flowers, characteristic of the period between 1480 and 1520 in Iznik production. A further link can be drawn with manuscript illumination, notably, a scroll of the Qur’an, also in the Topkapi Saray Museum (inv.no.E.H.485), which includes various forms of script arranged in a variety of shapes, with scrolling foliate stems in between to highlight the design (see Roxburgh 2005, p.321, cat.no.291).
This magnificent shirt, combined with the previous lot, formed part of the first exhibition dedicated to Turkish history, held at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, in 1954. As mentioned in the press release of the time, one of the central focuses of the exhibition lay in a visual compendium of the Turkish people, including: “The immense range of their wanderings and their extraordinary importance as conquerors and military rulers […]” of which the present shirt must have played an important exemplary role.
It is rare to find examples of Ottoman talismanic shirts outside Turkey, most being kept in the Topkapi Palace Museum and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Istanbul. Further examples are also in the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, London and the Islamic Art Museum, Malaysia.
Two other Ottoman talismanic shirts, with a slightly different layout and design, were sold in these rooms, 9 October 2013, lot 58 and 25 April 2012, lot 419.