Matrakci Nasuh

Acrylic, watercolor & gold on passepartout cardboard, 35 x 50 cm, Artist’s Collection

Matrakci Nasuh, who lived during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificient (1520-66), was an Ottoman polymath and one of the most prominent miniature painters of his time. He accompanied the Ottoman army during campaigns. Employing a bird’s eye perspective, he made panoramic and topographic miniature paintings of the cities and towns visited during these campaigns. The figures at the bottom are playing matrak, an Ottoman combat sport. This work honors Matrakci Nasuh’s miniature paintings, which when put side by side, evoke a filmstrip.

Curator’s Note: Invented by Matrakci Nasuh, matrak is sword-and-shield mock fighting done with wooden sticks and shields covered with leather. The top of the stick is rounded and slightly wider than the body, somewhat resembling a bowling pin.