2 – The Art of the Sultans: Ottoman Art and Architecture

Online

Course 2 – Summer School online

Monday 2 – Friday 6 June 2025
Dr Antonia Gatward-Cevizli
£395

Course description

The skyline of Istanbul is one of the most recognisable in the world. However, the Ottoman artistic tradition is less widely known.

This course traces the most significant developments of Ottoman art and architecture from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries. From the Green Mosque in the former Ottoman capital of Bursa, we shall progress to Edirne and then on to that great prize: Istanbul. The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 was a major turning point, changing the way the Ottomans saw themselves and how they were regarded by others. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror initiated the city’s makeover, which transformed it into the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Our exploration of the art of the sultans will introduce us to patrons of the arts, such as Süleyman the Magnificent, the architect Sinan (often referred to as ‘the Michelangelo of the East’), and the most impressive sites of Istanbul, including the Topkapı Palace and the Süleymaniye Mosque. We shall also examine in detail the development of Iznik ceramics and explore the circumstances surrounding Gentile Bellini’s portrait of Sultan Mehmed II.

Meet the lecturer

How to book

To book your chosen course(s) please use the book now button below and you will be taken to our booking system where you can book and pay (Visa / Mastercard / GooglePay / ApplePay).

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Please note that in the EU new VAT rules for online courses are coming into effect.  This means that from 1 January 2025 we will be required to charge EU participants their local VAT rate.  VAT-inclusive prices for EU students will be displayed at check-out.

If you have any questions please email us at short.courses@courtauld.ac.uk

Lecturer's biography

Dr Antonia Gatward-Cevizli completed her PhD at the University of Warwick, specialising in cultural exchange between Italy and the Ottomans in the fifteenth century. Her MA focused on the Art and Architecture of Venice. During her studies she lived in Siena and Venice. She has taught Art History at Sabancı University, Istanbul and was a Course Leader at Sotheby’s Institute of Art for many years. She currently lectures for various institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Arts Society and The Courtauld Summer School. Her publications have focused on cultural and diplomatic exchange between Italy and the Ottomans.