Abstract:

Since firmanswere the documents arranged in line with the decrees taken by Divan-ı Hümayun (Imperial Council) having the order and tughra of the emperor, its ornamentation was given special importance. In the current study, the illumination features of four firmans with the tughra of Sultan Mahmud II taking place in the Presidency Ottoman Archives were tried to be determined. The era of Sultan Mahmud II is a period when the effect of westernization was experienced in the field of art besides many other fields. It is likely to see that classical style was moved away in decoration and naturalist style flower applications were used in the forms of baroque and rococo in an intensive way. The firmans investigated in the study were examined in terms of technical colour, motive and composition features and the current positions of them were tried to be determined. The data regarding the research is limited to the digital data obtained from the archive. All of the firmans investigated in the study were written with the black ink and in divani calligraphy, and they were engilded with gold and registered with black. It was found that the techniques of halkâri with water, double tahrir, şikâf and classical illumination were applied. It was also found that classical illumination was used together with the style of baroque and rococo in the illumination ornamentation of the firmans in line with decoration style of the ear. The technique of halkâri were given place in the heading while naturalist style flower depictions were given out of the heading or in various forms in the heading. There is some staining on the surface of the paper, worn out parts because of conservation by folding and flaking in some parts in the firmans investigated.

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