The Visual Past

"The Visual Past” showcases the latest research by scholars who explore the visual, spatial, and material culture that shaped the Ottoman world. The series will address not only objects, images, and calligraphy, but also works of architecture that were themselves contexts for other media. Before being designated historical landmarks or enshrined in museum displays, these rich artistic and architectural products constituted an intrinsic part of Ottoman life, intersecting with and affecting all levels of society. Episodes in this series investigate crucial issues about sight and seeing in the Ottoman Empire, including the power of the gaze, the depiction of human and animal imagery, and questions of style, aesthetics, and patronage. The series also explores transformations in technology that opened up new possibilities during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries for the popular dissemination of images through photographs, print media, and film.