Fatih and Kanuni Met in IMM

After the portrait of the 7th Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, IMM started to host the painting of the 10th Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlugave the good news that both works of art will be exhibited in the Art Museum to be established in the Haliç Shipyard, which was built by Fatih 566 years ago and continues to operate.

The painting of the 10th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Suleiman the Magnificent, drawn from the brush of Cristofano dell'Altissimo, with the portrait of the 7th Sultan Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han, the product of the workshop of the famous Italian painter Bellini, under the roof of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM). met. On March 31, 2021, for the Kanuni painting, which was put up for auction by Sotheby's Auction House and donated to IMM by its buyer, at the main campus in Saraçhane, President Ekrem İmamoğluThe ceremony was held with the participation of To İmamoğlu at the ceremony; IMM CHP Group Deputy Chairman Doğan Subaşı, IYI Party Group Deputy Chairman İbrahim Özkan, İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, accompanied by the President's Advisor.

“ MY COMMON POINT WITH FATIH AND LEGAL; TRABZON"

The portrait of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han, which was first purchased by IMM at the auction at the world-famous Christie's hall in London on June 25, 2020, was hung on the platform, which was set up for the ceremony and read: "Those Who Rule the Law and Justice: Sultans of Istanbul". Making a speech at the ceremony, İmamoğlu shared the Kanuni painting and technical information with members of the press. Stating that he was born in Trabzon like Kanuni, İmamoğlu said, “Trabzon, which was conquered by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1461, is a city that witnessed the birth of Suleiman the Magnificent. Born during the Trabzon governorship of Yavuz Sultan Selim, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman was born here and lives until the age of 14. I grew up as a person who deeply felt the important contribution of the two sultans to Turkish and Ottoman history. Because the name of my primary school was Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Primary School. Therefore, both Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Kanuni Sultan Süleyman have a completely different place for us and our families.”

ART MUSEUM TO BE ESTABLISHED IN HALIC SHIPYARD

Stating that there are works by various artists in the historical İBB building in Saraçhane, where both paintings are located, İmamoğlu emphasized that they will continue to be closely interested in special works of art that will make Istanbul feel. Emphasizing that İBB belongs to the public, İmamoğlu said, “Anything that you want to entrust in the name of art, culture, that you wish to be carried to the future, that represents Istanbul, will be the warmest and most accurate address, IMM.” Expressing that they are proud of the meeting of Fatih and Kanuni paintings with Istanbul and Turkey, İmamoğlu said, “We would like to define this part of where we will bring these two works and such new works that we will buy together with our people. We are carrying out a very valuable work at Haliç Shipyard. I would like to announce to the people of Istanbul and to all art lovers that we will exhibit these works at the Art Museum, which is currently underway.”

“MUSEUMS WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN 2 YEARS”

Reminding that Haliç Shipyard was founded by Fatih Sultan Mehmet 566 years ago, İmamoğlu said, “We continue to protect our history and culture in this sense in our other works in the deep-rooted history of Istanbul. Haliç Shipyard will continue its shipyard identity and activities in our memory; At the same time, there will be Istanbul Art Museum, where these two works of art are exhibited, Istanbul Photography Museum, Istanbul Cinema Museum and Istanbul Music Museum. We would very much like to bring together the portrait of Fatih, the portrait of Kanuni and other works in this area as a permanent exhibition within 2 years.”

ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS OF THE JOURNALISTS

İmamoğlu also answered the questions of the journalists at the ceremony. To the question "Can we find out who the donor is?", İmamoğlu's response was, "We cannot say who our donor is at the moment. But I guess he will come and visit us. If he sees fit, we will share it with you publicly. Right now, he wants to be enough to forgive himself”. İmamoğlu said, “When the Fatih Sultan Mehmet painting was first exhibited, conservation areas were created. Will the same be true for Kanuni? This special conservation area was also designed as a special section in this building. It's already there. Both artifacts will continue to be preserved there in the form of preservation. But in our art museum, which we plan to establish in the future, we will build a place where the same protection and preservation mechanism is installed. I hope it will remain as a trust of our city for hundreds of years by being protected there.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STATEMENT OF LAW

• The portrait of Suleiman the Magnificent was auctioned by Sotheby's Auction House on March 31, 2021 and donated to IMM by its buyer.
• The painting was made in Italy with oil paint on a copper panel at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century.
• Fifty-odd years after Bellini painted the iconic picture of Mehmed the Conqueror, it emerged as a result of another exchange between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire.
• It shows Suleiman the Magnificent at the age of 43, after the Baghdad Campaign, when he took Iraq from the Safavids.
• Suleiman the Magnificent was described by a Venetian official in 1534 as having big, black eyes, a little big nose, more compassionate than cruel, not shaved, stubbled, long, red mustache, and long and thin neck.
• The original drawing of the painting is brighter and more vivid than other known copies. The coloring and brush marks are more Venetian than those drawn by Cristofano dell'Altissimo in the Uffizi.
• The dimensions of the table are 22.7×17.5 cm without frame and 44.5×39.8 cm with frame. It has been in the private collection of a family in France since the 19th century.
• The painting is the expression of an artistic exchange between Venice and the Ottoman Empire in the 1530s. His story is about the crown that the Sultan received from a Venetian master. The crown features the Papal tiara and military helmet, making reference to the Pope and the Holy Roman Empire.
• The painting was placed in the safe room in the IMM Saraçhane building on Friday, June 11, 2021, which has the appropriate environment.