A WORLD OF WOVEN COLORS: OTTOMON KAFTANS
Lauren Barrett
ARTH 442.01: Islamic Art
November 30, 2017
There has been much ado about clothing. Following the current trends is a style; likewise purposefully ignoring the trends is also a statement. Most of what we wear today is recycled from the past, whether it is clear-framed glasses or bell-bottom denim, styles and trends come and go. Clothing can serve as a symbol of power and wealth. The sumptuous Ottoman textiles, especially Ottoman kaftans, were often worn as symbols of social standing and have maintained their timeless elegance over the centuries. These “[l]xury textiles were symbols of status, wealth, and power in royal and religious contexts throughout the vast Islamic lands.” Ottoman textiles were highly sought after in Europe. There are many accounts of ambassadors who beheld and later wrote about the dazzling garments.
The reign of the Ottoman Empire lasted from 1299 to 1922. The Ottoman Empire was quite vast and “spread from Anatolia and the Caucasus across North Africa and into Syria, Arabia, and Iraq.” The sheer size of the empire easily rivaled the land mass ruled by the Abbasids. Their conquests, particularly in the …show more content…
A glimmer of practicality shone through even in the most sumptuous fabrics. Each held a decorative role and a practical role. Textiles also served as a form of communication within the empire, as the kaftans were “the equivalent of readily visible modern-day billboards.” Textiles had a high monetary value; they could be used to “pay government taxes, as barter for goods and services, and as investments.” During the reign of the Ottoman Empire, “[t]extiles were indispensible symbols in the Ottoman ceremonial.” There was a strong element of “pomp and grace” which was noted by the Europeans who admired the beauty of the colorful garments of gold or patterned velvet
Lauren Barrett
ARTH 442.01: Islamic Art
November 30, 2017
There has been much ado about clothing. Following the current trends is a style; likewise purposefully ignoring the trends is also a statement. Most of what we wear today is recycled from the past, whether it is clear-framed glasses or bell-bottom denim, styles and trends come and go. Clothing can serve as a symbol of power and wealth. The sumptuous Ottoman textiles, especially Ottoman kaftans, were often worn as symbols of social standing and have maintained their timeless elegance over the centuries. These “[l]xury textiles were symbols of status, wealth, and power in royal and religious contexts throughout the vast Islamic lands.” Ottoman textiles were highly sought after in Europe. There are many accounts of ambassadors who beheld and later wrote about the dazzling garments.
The reign of the Ottoman Empire lasted from 1299 to 1922. The Ottoman Empire was quite vast and “spread from Anatolia and the Caucasus across North Africa and into Syria, Arabia, and Iraq.” The sheer size of the empire easily rivaled the land mass ruled by the Abbasids. Their conquests, particularly in the …show more content…
A glimmer of practicality shone through even in the most sumptuous fabrics. Each held a decorative role and a practical role. Textiles also served as a form of communication within the empire, as the kaftans were “the equivalent of readily visible modern-day billboards.” Textiles had a high monetary value; they could be used to “pay government taxes, as barter for goods and services, and as investments.” During the reign of the Ottoman Empire, “[t]extiles were indispensible symbols in the Ottoman ceremonial.” There was a strong element of “pomp and grace” which was noted by the Europeans who admired the beauty of the colorful garments of gold or patterned velvet