Sultan Mehmet II – 11 x 14” mounted print
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Uniting Ottoman power with European aesthetics, this fascinating portrait was created by order of Sultan Mehmet II himself. Captivated by European portraiture, the Sultan sent word to the Venetian authorities in 1479 requesting an artist. Gentile Bellini created the work in 1480, an oil painting originally on wood, later transferred to canvas.
Gentile Bellini came from a prominent family of Venetian painters and was employed as the official portrait artist for the Doges of Venice. He carried the conventions of the Venetian style with him on his visit to Istanbul; the Sultan’s pose, turned slightly towards the viewer rather than a traditional profile, reflects the rising fashion in Venice at this time. The embroidered cloth hanging over the marble ledge is bedecked with pearls and gems to signify wealth and magnificence, while the golden crowns on each side of the arch are thought to represent territories ruled over by the Sultan.
Printed in the UK and supplied with a wine-red mount, a shade chosen to echo the opulent tone of the Sultan’s robes, this beguiling portrait is a perfect choice to add character to a compact area. Giclée printing captures fine detail and provides archival longevity, while the quality heavyweight paper holds rich, deep colours and gives a luxury, gallery-grade finish.
The Sultan Mehmet II
Gentile Bellini (1429-1507)
Oil paint, originally on wood, transferred to canvas
Constantinople, 1480
NG3099
© The National Gallery, London
Dimensions
11 x 14 in (28 x 35.5cm)
Composition
Giclée printed on Monte Carlo 300gsm paper
Colour
Red
Product code
173592
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