From Sketches to Paintings Sultan Abdülaziz Exhibition opened in Vienna
From Sketches to Paintings Sultan Abdülaziz Art Exhibition featuring sketches by Sultan Abdülaziz, met with Viennese art lovers. The exhibition organized with contributions of Prime Ministry Promotion Fund and by collaboration of Vienna Yunus Emre Enstitüsü and International Culture and Arts Association (UKSD), features works from the sketchbook of Sultan Abdülaziz preserved in Krakow National Museum, and anonymous paintings in the national palaces. The notebook presented to Polish S. Chlebowski who worked as palace artist at that period, stand out as the only known painting made by the Sultan. Exhibition held in Vienna Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Exhibition Hall is significant for Sultan Abdülaziz's works have never been exhibited in Europe before.
Opening was attended by Vienna Ambassador Hasan Göğüş, Vienna Consul General Tayyar Kağan, Polish Ambassador to Vienna Artur Lorkowski, and numerous diplomatic mission members.
Vienna Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Director Mevlüt Bulut who took the floor in the ceremony, spoke as follows: “Today, we are proud to be opening this exhibition. The exhibition is more significant for us because Sultan Abdülaziz first visited France, then London, and lastly Vienna.”
Next to being talented in fields of poetry, calligraphy and sports, Sultan Abdülaziz is known as a music enthusiast who had his name written among sultans who composed music. Now Sultan as a painter comes to light with this sketchbook. Sultan who took interest in Western art as a prince and drew patterns and sketches, invited European artists to Dolmabahçe Palace, allocated workshops in the palace for the artists and presented the artists with the means for them to work on their art. Among the palace artists of the period are French P. D. Guillemet and Polish S. Chlebowski. The works displayed in the exhibition are sketches in the sketchbook Sultan granted S. Chlebowski as a gift.
The exhibition featuring sketches by Sultan Abdülaziz and oil paintings based on these sketches, can be seen in Vienna Yunus Emre Enstitüsü until March 30th, Wednesday.