Major Works of Ottoman Culture (HUM 203)

2019 Spring
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Humanities(HUM)
3
6/5 ECTS (for students admitted in the 2013-14 Academic Year or following years)
Tülay Artan tulay@sabanciuniv.edu,
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English
Undergraduate
--
Formal lecture
Communicative
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CONTENT

This course will focus on a selected few masterpieces of Ottoman artistic and literary production, picked on the basis of not only their high aesthetic qualities, but also their representativeness across different genres and historical periods. A problem-oriented approach, therefore, may and shall be woven around them, but by starting with the works themselves, and proceeding from them to explore successive and ever-expanding backgrounds, instead of creating a relatively "complete" or continuous narrative of cultural history from the outset and submerging a much larger number of works within it. As key examples to be subjected to such close "readings," the following have been tentatively opted for : From the triumphant imperial moment of the 16th century, (1) Mimar Sinan's Süleymaniye mosque and complex; (2) İznik wall-tiles at Rüstem Paşa mosque; and (3) Nakkaş Osman's pictorial eulogy of the dynasty Hünernâme; from the early 18th, late 18th, and early 19th centuries, (4) Levnî's Book of Festivals (Surnâme-i Vehbi); (5) Nedim's poetry; (6) Antoine-Ignace Melling's Hadice Sultan waterfront palace at Defterdarburnu; and (7) Itrî's musical output. It is thereby proposed to introduce students both to a whole range of modes of expression (such as monumental religious architecture, decorative programs of line and colour, the arts of the book, the ruling elite's changing "theater of life" and consumption patterns, and the conventions of composition), and to analytical perspectives on two main periods of Ottoman history with their specific power relations, socio-economic problems, ideological re-adjustments, sensitivities and outlooks. In addition to the existing pre-requisite " to have completed 23 credits" for this course , a new condition will be added as "to complete SPS 101 and SPS 102 courses at least with D grade" as of the Fall semester of 2015-2016 Academic Year. Students who failed from SPS 101 and SPS 102 courses, do not have right to take this course.

OBJECTIVE

Refer to the course content

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. identify the masterpieces of Ottoman artistic production. 2. discuss the aesthetic qualities of cultural products, and their representativeness across different genres and historical periods. 3. describe the major persons and ideas that shaped the Ottoman artistic/cultural production and how these fit into the course of Ottoman history. 4. explain the primary sources on these works of art. 5. develop a broader but more nuanced understanding of the historical context of architecture, painting, calligraphy, decorative arts, music and poetry. 6. comprehend the interrelated forces of cultural borrowings, traditionalism and Islam. 7. discuss the origins of Ottoman portrait painting and contextualize genres of royal portraiture. 8. explain the functional and symbolic meanings of the Ottoman socio-religious complexes. 9. comprehend the enigma of the genious architect and/or artist and describe artistic and individual styles. 10. discuss the development of the imperial artistic tradition and the birth of an Ottoman idiom. 11. comprehend the concept of Unity Within Diversity 12. discuss the Moralist, Nationalist and Islamist conventions about Ottoman art and architecture. 13. develop visual literacy and independent study skills 14. evaluate historical material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment.

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Final 30
Midterm 30
Quiz 10
Assignment 20
Participation 10