Name of Object:

An Entertainment Scene (The third day of entertainment) from Surname-i Vehbi

Location:

Istanbul, Turkey

Holding Institution:

Topkapı Palace Museum

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Date of Object:

18th century

Author:

Levni (Late 17th century, Edirne-1732, Istanbul)

Inventory Number:

55b

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Miniature; illustrated

Dimensions:

The book's dimension: 20x38 cm

Provenance:

Istanbul

Description:

These images show events that took place on the Golden Horn on the evening of the third day. In them, we see the sultan seated in a tent on the Arsenal Palace quay surrounded by attendants. Two rafts are floating by. The one at the right, of which we can only see a part but appears to be a platform mounted on a pair of caiques, was donated by Yeğen Mehmed Pasha, Superintendent of the Customs Office. The figures of two rams suspended on gears and pulleys from the roof butt one another. This is following a real raft on which are set two gigantic dummies that face backwards and are dressed in Persian garb. At the front of the raft is a huge wheel of fireworks that one of the pyrotechnicists is causing to revolve. Its supporting frame is surmounted by a fire-spewing bird and rockets hurtle this way and that.

Archival or Bibliographical Reference:

The Library of Sultan Ahmed III

Citation of this web page:

"An Entertainment Scene (The third day of entertainment) from Surname-i Vehbi" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;tr;192;en

Copyedited by: Daniel de la VegaDaniel de la Vega

Daniel de la Vega is a copy editor based in Portland, Oregon. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2014 and has since done editing and localization work on everything from college applications to magazines to video game dialogue.

MWNF Working Number: TR2 188