Writing Box
1747 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This box held writing instruments. Its shape had been in use since the 16th century. But this type of lacquer decoration was imported from Iran only in the reign of Sultan Ahmet III (ruled 1703-1730). The motifs are largely European, but Iranian lacquer workers also used roses in this period.
The huge expansion of the Ottoman empire in the 16th century was followed by a period of crisis after 1600. Patronage of the arts did revive after 1650, but on a more modest scale. At first, the revival of 16th-century Ottoman traditions and the adoption of Iranian artistic ideas were the main sources of change. From the 1740s, however, an Ottoman Baroque style developed in which artists applied non-figurative European motifs to Ottoman forms. The Ottoman Baroque flourished until the 1820s, when designers introduced new types of European ornament.
The huge expansion of the Ottoman empire in the 16th century was followed by a period of crisis after 1600. Patronage of the arts did revive after 1650, but on a more modest scale. At first, the revival of 16th-century Ottoman traditions and the adoption of Iranian artistic ideas were the main sources of change. From the 1740s, however, an Ottoman Baroque style developed in which artists applied non-figurative European motifs to Ottoman forms. The Ottoman Baroque flourished until the 1820s, when designers introduced new types of European ornament.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Wood, painted and lacquered |
| Brief description | Lacquer writing box signed by Naksi of Edirne, Turkey (Istanbul or Edirne), 1747. |
| Physical description | Writing box of painted and lacquered wood, with pointed ends and arched lid; the box and the lid are painted on the outside with floral scrollwork in colours on an aventurine ground, with gold borders containing similar ornament. Box divided inside into one large and one small compartment - large compartment fitted with a tray - small one contains a brass inkwell. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (signed) |
| Gallery label |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This box held writing instruments. Its shape had been in use since the 16th century. But this type of lacquer decoration was imported from Iran only in the reign of Sultan Ahmet III (ruled 1703-1730). The motifs are largely European, but Iranian lacquer workers also used roses in this period. The huge expansion of the Ottoman empire in the 16th century was followed by a period of crisis after 1600. Patronage of the arts did revive after 1650, but on a more modest scale. At first, the revival of 16th-century Ottoman traditions and the adoption of Iranian artistic ideas were the main sources of change. From the 1740s, however, an Ottoman Baroque style developed in which artists applied non-figurative European motifs to Ottoman forms. The Ottoman Baroque flourished until the 1820s, when designers introduced new types of European ornament. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 262-1896 |
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| Record created | May 26, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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