Selim Kahn I, from Portraits of the Emperors of Turkey
1815
Medium
Mezzotint, hand-colored with brush and watercolor, on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
37.5 × 25.3 cm (14 13/16 × 10 in.)
Classification
mezzotint
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
213642
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
“Selim the Grim,” as he was known in the West, was the ninth Ottoman sultan, ruling from 1512 to 1520. He increased the Turkish maritime forces, added numerous territories to the Ottoman Empire including Syria, Palestine, Hijaz, Algiers, and Egypt (Cairo’s pyramids appear in the lower cartouche), and also had a flair for writing poetry. Here his bejeweled dagger and mace show his military prowess. This mezzotint reflects the original colors of John Young’s miniature source, but the artist curiou...