Washington Textile Museum to display over 50 textile works

Incredibly, this revolution in style can be traced to one man, Kara Memi, working in the royal design workshop of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566).

His nature-inspired stylized tulips, carnations, hyacinths, honeysuckles, roses, and rosebuds immediately gained popularity across a broad range of media, carrying connotations of Ottoman court patronage, luxury, and high taste. The floral style continues to embody Turkish culture: Turkey’s tourism bureau markets the nation with a tulip logo.

A 192-page, full-color catalog titled The Sultan’s Garden: The Blossoming of Ottoman Art accompanies this exhibition.

The Sultan's Garden will also provide subject matter for the 40th Annual Fall Symposium, "Ottoman By Design: Branding an Empire," October 12–14, 2012.

Founded in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, The Textile Museum is an international center for the exhibition, study, collection and preservation of the textile arts. The museum explores the artistic significance and cultural importance of the world’s textiles through exhibitions, public programs, and educational activities.

Textile Museum