Procession of Sultan Süleyman through the Atmeidan from the frieze Ces Moeurs et fachons de faire de Turcz (Customs and Fashions of the Turks)
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 7/8 × 34 3/8 in. (35.2 × 87.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928
Accession Number
28.85.7a, b
Tags
About this artwork
This woodcut depicts Sultan Süleyman's ceremonial procession through the Atmeidan (Hippodrome) in Constantinople, from the series "Ces Moeurs et fachons de faire de Turcz" (Customs and Fashions of the Turks), published in 1553. The print shows the Ottoman sultan's elaborate retinue, capturing the pageantry and ceremonial protocol of the Ottoman court with numerous figures, horses, and architectural elements. The composition presents a panoramic view of the procession, demonstrating Renaissance i...
Art Historical Context
This captivating woodcut, *Procession of Sultan Süleyman through the Atmeidan*, captures the grandeur of Ottoman pageantry in 16th-century Constantinople. Created as part of the frieze *Ces Moeurs et fachons de faire de Turcz* ("Customs and Fashions of the Turks"), published in 1553, it depicts Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent's ceremonial parade through the Atmeidan (ancient Hippodrome), teeming with elaborately dressed courtiers, horses, and architectural wonders. Flemish artist Pieter Coecke van Aelst sketched the scenes firsthand during his 1533 trip to the city, seeking tapestry commission...
About the Artist
Pieter Coecke van Aelst|Mayken Verhulst
Pieter Coecke van Aelst (1502–1550) was a leading Flemish artist of the Renaissance, renowned for his multifaceted talents as a painter, sculptor, architect, and designer of tapestries, stained glass, woodcuts, and metalwork. Born in Aalst, in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium), he likely studied under Bernaert van Orley, a prominent Antwerp painter, before becoming a master in the city...