Süleymanname

The portrayal of Suleiman's reign is idealized, as it not only includes the last exceptional events in world history, but also ends the timeline begun at creation with this perceived perfect ruler.

[5] The primary function of the Sehname type was to document a complete Ottoman history, legitimizing and exalting the patron sultan in the process.

Approval ensured all texts met a high literary standard and accurately matched the content of illustrations.

The intense vetting process allowed the sultan and advisors to project a carefully crafted image through the text.

Often the sultan would have Şehname texts read aloud for a court audience, intending to inspire and educate future Ottoman statesmen.

In addition to legitimizing the Sultan's reign, Şehnames were commissioned typically during times of turmoil, intended to bolster dynastic prestige and justify the ruler.

The idea of a just leader is exemplified by the numerous paintings of his court receptions with other ambassadors, but also through his compassion for his enemies and showing his power and Ottoman superiority.

Adding to Suleiman's religious significance, he is written as the last reformer of religion and depicted as the image of the Perfect Man, only second to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

[4] Certain images in the manuscript were executed as a way to show Suleiman's importance as one of the last religious and political leaders and were all approved by the sultan himself.

Some of these images include Suleiman's portrayal as the second Solomon on a gold throne and as a saint with a nimbus surrounding his head.

[4] Suleiman's generous, adamant patronage to the arts helped cultivate a golden age of Ottoman culture.

Suleiman employed male artists and artisans of European, Islamic, and Turkish origins, which forged a visual language consisting of a synthesis of traditions, particularly in architecture and manuscript production.

The Ehl-i Hiref (Community of the Talented), a highly organized group of imperial artisans worked on court commissions.

The Cemaat-i Nakkaşan (Society of Painters), one of the units in the Ehl-i Hiref, was in charge of decorating the manuscripts commissioned for imperial libraries.

The nakkaşane created hundreds of manuscripts consisting of classic tales, poetry, paintings, calligraphy, and illuminations.

Illustrated histories like the Süleymannâme were made to exalt the lives of sultans or the festivities or campaigns of the empire, and became the primary work of the nakkaşane after 1560.

There is not substantial information on Arif Celebi's life, but the knowledge we have on him comes from biographical stories written by many 16th century writers.

"[6] For his project, Arif Celebi adopted visual styles from Firdawsi's Shahnama that detailed the mythic history of Iran.

It is mentioned again in the Süleymannâme that his father served the Ottoman Empire as a diplomatic envoy and most likely worked for more than one royal person.

Due to his familial background, it is very probable Arif had a high level of education and he was said to have a great skill in the sciences.

Present throughout the manuscript are detailed geometric motifs, most visible on buildings, textiles and in evocations of grass, water and ground.

Arif then relates this to Noah and the Great Flood, connecting the decimal system to the gathering of animals pairs and including religious references again.

[4] In later pages of the manuscript, it is more common to see images of a tree with water accumulated at the foot, as seen in the reception of Queen Isabella and Infant King Stephen.

The symbols behind these trees are likely to represent a cultural aspect of the Ottoman courtly elite, which explains their frequency and link with Suleiman.

While his facial expression mildly suggests a scream, his body appears as an abstracted form with a spear protruding out and is not represented of a person on the brink of death in anguish.

Depicted in a bird's eye view, all proceedings inside and outside the Divan are on display, providing transparency into specific happenings within the court.

The artists make specific choices about how rigid or limber the figures should be depicted in order to capture the emotional energy of the scenes.

[8] There are a few scenes in the Süleymannâme which specifically aim to point to moments of the sultan's greatest accomplishments or glorifications.

[8] The gold throne, highly decorated geometric motifs of the walls and ceiling, communicate the importance of his position.

Here, the painter exemplifies the glory and honor symbolized by receiving the cup through grand decorative elements of the architecture and the central positioning of the sultan.