Lorentz lecture by Emine Fetvaci

The Album of the World Emperor and European prints at the Ottoman court

This talk will examine a stunning album compiled for the sultan Ahmed I by his courtier Kalender Paşa around 1612. Titled The Album of the World Emperor, it contained Ottoman and Persian drawings, paintings and calligraphies and European prints. In the same year, the Ottomans and the Dutch finally signed a long-awaited trade treaty. This talk examines how and why these European prints were at the Ottoman court, and the role they played in the album.

Organized by The Lorentz Center

This lecture is organized by the Lorentz Center, as part of their workshop Biographies of Rulers in the Premodern Islamicate World, from 29 July until 2 August 2024. The Lorentz Center in Leiden is a workshop center where international scientific meetings take place.