Treasures from Kremlin Palace at Topkapi
Treasures from Kremlin Palace at Topkapi Palace
Home to the Ottoman throne for nearly 400 years, Topkapı Palace is now hosting the czarist treasures of Moscow's Kremlin. The exhibition 'Treasures of the Moscow Kremlin at Topkapı Palace' invites all Istanbul residents to witness the grandeur of the Russian empire for the first time in Turkey
Russophiles and art lovers of all stripes will have the unique opportunity to peruse the treasures of Russia’s Kremlin during an exhibition opening Friday at Istanbul’s historical Topkapı Palace.
Organized under the auspices of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency in collaboration with the Topkapı Palace and Moscow Kremlin Palace museums, “Treasures of the Moscow Kremlin at Topkapı Palace” will display 16th and 17th century Russian artwork through June 7.
The works focus mainly on the lives of the czars, especially in their capacities as heads of state and army commanders. The show will also display works depicting their private lives, religious practices and roles in public ceremonies.
Housed in the Has Ahırlar section of Topkapı Palace, the exhibition includes ceremonial harnesses for horses, clerical cloaks and examples of the czars’ personal effects. Most of these latter objects were produced by master craftsmen and are typically made of gold and silver.
In addition, “Treasures of the Moscow Kremlin at Topkapı Palace” will also display a series of garments created for the czars by the empire’s master tailors, included clothing sewn and ornamented with exquisite representations in pearls and silver. The czars wore such apparel both for religious functions and in their everyday lives.
The pieces forming the Turkish portion of the collection include swords, helmets and daggers, along with harnesses, pocket watches, basins, ewers and ink-holders that were acquired by the czars over the years. After several centuries in the Russian capital, these Ottoman-era artifacts have returned to Turkey for the first time as part of this exhibition.
Topkapı Palace was the official residence of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years, from 1465 until 1856, and was included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1985. Built in 1459, the palace is a complex made up of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings.
After the establishment of the modern Turkish Republic, the palace was converted into a museum in 1924. Large collections of porcelain pieces, robes, weapons, Ottoman-era miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and jewelry are on display in the museum.
Kremlin Palace to host pieces from Topkapı
In a reciprocal arrangement, the Kremlin Palace Museum in Moscow will also host unique treasures from Topkapı Palace in an upcoming exhibition. Ottoman objects produced in the 16th and 17the centuries will be presented at the Palace of Czardom in a show organized by the Istanbul 2010 agency in collaboration with the Topkapı Palace and Kremlin Palace museums.
The exhibition, “Topkapı Palace Treasures at the Kremlin Palace,” will run from May 26 to Aug. 15 and will include 106 pieces, including symbols of the sultanate, personal effects and representations of Ottoman palace life.
The two events mark the first time Russia and Turkey have organized this type of cultural exchange. The exhibitions aim to help further enhance future relations between the two countries.
With the exchange, the two museums also hope to cooperate more fully in the future in preserving artifacts from the imperial past.
(Hurriyet Daily News ; Thursday, March 11, 2010)