Art of the Ottomans: Faith, Beauty and Power

Online course

+44 (0)20 7942 2000

Discover the rich, eclectic and innovative art of the Ottomans from their beginnings, to the conquest of Constantinople, to a vast and powerful empire and beyond.

Learn from our world-class experts wherever you are, whenever suits you: watch lectures live or view the recording later in your own time. You can experience the full breadth and depth of the V&A's collections with 12 hours of study over 6 weeks. Learn at your own pace: lecture recordings and study materials, lecture notes, copies of the presentations, and additional study materials are available in our secure Microsoft Teams environment for 6 weeks after the course ends, so you'll never miss a thing. And finally, join the conversation: share your perspective with your fellow students, and support each other in your further enquiries outside of class time.

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Portrait of Course Leader Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli

Course Leader
Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli

Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli is an art historian specialising in cultural exchange between Italy and the Ottomans. She was an on-screen expert for the Netflix docudrama ‘Rise of the Ottomans’. She has also lectured for Sotheby’s Institute of Art, the National Gallery, the V&A and The Courtauld summer school.

Antonia is a terrific course leader and a great lecturer. The scope of the course was just right; I learned so much! Previous V&A Academy Online Course Attendee

Course overview

From the kaleidoscopic tiles of the Green Mosque in the former Ottoman capital of Bursa to the ostentatious palace of Dolmabahçe in Istanbul, this course follows the journey of Ottoman Art and Architecture from its early years in the 14th-century to the late 19th century. Ottoman Art is exciting in its eclecticism, absorbing and reinterpreting elements of the many different traditions from East to West that they encountered over time. The conquest of Constantinople was a pivotal moment, changing the way the Ottomans saw themselves and how they were regarded by others. The great trophy of the Haghia Sophia with its large hemispherical dome subsequently became a signature element of Ottoman mosque architecture. We will meet significant patrons of the arts such as Sultan Mehmed II and Süleyman the Magnificent while also paying attention to comparatively neglected figures of the later periods, whose commissions took the Ottoman visual language in new directions. The course offers a visual feast including splendid imperial mosques, highly sought-after carpets, luxurious velvets, virtuosic calligraphy, refined manuscript paintings and the bold floral motifs of Iznik ceramics.

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V&A Academy Online. A learning environment you can trust.

V&A Academy Online courses are built using the latest Microsoft software. Tune in to expert lectures live, or catch up later on demand. Download handouts and presentations. Join the discussion in a secure, closed class environment, wherever you are.

Enrol now

Online course: Art of the Ottomans: Faith, Beauty and Power

22 February 2024 - 28 March 2024

£120.00

Call to book +44 (0)20 7942 2000

Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:

+44 (0)20 7942 2000

Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)