Editing Islamic art (section)

==== Ottomans ====
The [[Ottoman Empire]], whose origins lie in the 14th century, continued in existence until shortly after [[World War I]]. This impressive longevity, combined with an immense territory (stretching from Anatolia to Tunisia), led naturally to a vital and distinctive art, including plentiful architecture, mass production of ceramics for both tiles and vessels, most notably [[İznik pottery|Iznik ware]], important metalwork and jewellery, Turkish paper marbling [[Ebru]], [[Turkish carpet]]s as well as tapestries and exceptional [[Ottoman miniature]]s and decorative [[Ottoman illumination]].

Masterpieces of Ottoman manuscript illustration include the two "[[Surname-I Hümayun|books of festivals]]" (Surname-I Hümayun), one dating from the end of the 16th century, and the other from the era of Sultan [[Murad III]]. These books contain numerous illustrations and exhibit a strong [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid]] influence; thus they may have been inspired by books captured in the course of the Ottoman-Safavid wars of the 16th century.

The Ottomans are also known for their development of a bright red pigment, "Iznik red", in ceramics, which reached their height in the 16th century, both in tile-work and pottery, using floral motifs that were considerably transformed from their Chinese and Persian models. From the 18th century, Ottoman art came under considerable European influence, the Turks adopting versions of [[Rococo]] which had a lasting and not very beneficial effect, leading to over-fussy decoration.<ref>Levey, chapters 5 and 6</ref> European-style painting was slow to be adopted, with [[Osman Hamdi Bey]] (1842-1910) for long a somewhat solitary figure. He was a member of the Ottoman administrative elite who trained in Paris, and painted throughout his long career as a senior administrator and curator in Turkey. Many of his works represent [[Orientalism]] from the inside, as it were.

[[File:The marriage procession of Dara Shikoh - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|An illustrated manuscript of the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Shah Jahan]] attending the marriage procession of his eldest son [[Dara Shikoh]]. Mughal-Era [[fireworks]] brightened the night throughout the wedding ceremony.]]