Ambiguous symbols

The first stamp designs were self-consciously Ottoman, clothing a new western innovation with a distinctly Ottoman aesthetic, expressing a cultural tension never to be wholly resolved.

By the time that the first Ottoman stamps were issued, the Empire was well down the road of decline. Quite apart from the reckless spending of borrowed money on the Dolmebarche Palace (completed in 1856), the Crimean War had strained the Ottoman treasury, leading it towards further European loans and eventual bankruptcy. Rivalries amongst the European powers kept the Empire intact, but even so the Ottomans were to lose virtually all their European and African territories by 1914.

Against this background, the first Ottoman postage stamps with their self-consciously revivalist Ottoman aesthetic were ambiguous symbols. Were they signs of progress and modernisation? Or did they symbolise the Empire’s helpless absorption into the periphery of a world market dominated by the West?

1856 Dolmabahçe Palace. Cost 35 tonnes of gold, an enormous burden on the state purse during the Tanzimat era.

Baroque and Rococo elements

Baroque and Rococo elements were imported from the West into nineteenth century Ottoman design, especially from the nearby Austro-Hungarian Empire, but also from France, which was a major influence upon the Tanzimat modernising culture of the Ottoman Empire. One thinks of the French name Grande Rue de Péra in this context.

The escutcheon, scrolls and bands at the bottom of the Tughra stamps are in a baroque and roccocco style, popular in the Ottoman Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries and epitomised by the Dolmabache Palace (near contemporary with the first stamps). The Dolmabache Palace architects imported baroque and roccoco design concepts in a self conscious attempt to portray a modernising image to the world.   
 © John Dunn.

Tughra stamp and the arabesque

Whilst the tughra and calligraphy on the stamps were from the hand of Abdulfettah Efendi, the other decorative motives were made by Ensarcioglu Agop Efendi. The fine craftwork of jewellery ornamentation was to be found in the Armenian community, which is why the Armenian Agop Efendi was called upon to transfer his ornamentist skills and prepare the motives and decorations in the new miniaturist medium of the postage stamp.

It can be seen that a conscious historicism was applied to this most modern of design applications during the Tanzimat era.

Traditional arabesque motifs have been reconfigured in response to, rather than abandoned in favour of, the western models on offer, so that the aesthetics of the new stamps project a distinctive Ottoman identity.

Arabesque patterns recalling classical Iznic ceramic ware were produced by a workshop that had been established in Constantinople at Tekfur Sarayi in 1719 for the purpose of making revivalist ceramics. It produced ceramic tiles in a style similar to that of İznik tiles, but influenced by European designs and colours.

Revivalist design from Tekfur Sarayi

The various corner piece designs on the stamps bear resemblance to the revivalist arabesque corner pieces on this Tekfur Sarayı ceramic.  

In other words, like the revivalist ceramics, the stamp designs were self-consciously Ottoman, clothing a new western innovation with a distinctly Ottoman aesthetic, expressing a cultural tension never to be wholly resolved.
© John Dunn.

Tughra stamp and calligraphy

The Arabic script, and subsequently the art of calligraphy, is held in great esteem by Muslims because Arabic is the language of the Koran. The Arabic text of the Koran is sacred to Muslims and its high status gave rise to an associated respect for calligraphy.

Calligraphy was regarded as the highest form of art in the Ottoman Empire and calligraphers were among the most highly regarded artists. Their status was based on the excellence of their work, but also on the eminence of their teachers.

In addition to the text of the Koran, the best calligraphers were also commissioned to create compositions that could be executed to serve other purposes - the newly introduced postage stamps of the ottoman Empire being just one example.

Abdulfettah Efendi

The Tughra of Sultan Abdulaziz is the centre-piece on the stamps.  It was designed by the celebrated calligrapher Abdulfettah Efendi, who remains famous to this day for his tughra designs. Only in 2011 an Ottoman tughra (below) signed by Abdulfettah Efendi realised £6,250 at Christies.

He is famed also for designing the large Abdulaziz Tughra whilst he was repairing the inscriptions on the interior walls of the Great Mosque of Bursa.

Great Mosque of Bursa

The calligraphy eleswhere on the stamps is in the riqa script and was also executed by Abdulfettah Efendi.

Design features of the 2 kuruş Tughra stamp

Design features of the 5 kuruş Tughra stamp

The script inside the crescent is devoid of any decorations, has few diacritical signs and was written to be clearly understood. The script reads from right to left ‘The sublime Ottoman Empire’.
© John Dunn.

Ottoman art and design

There are four key principles present in Ottoman art and design. These are:

• Calligraphy
• Arabesque features
• Geometric patterns
• Baroque and Rococo elements imported from the West in the nineteenth century, especially the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

These key design principles appear in the stamps of the Ottoman Empire. 

The Dolmabahçe Palace, perhaps the most visible example of
Baroque and Rococo elements imported into Ottoman design. Built in the Tanzimat era between the years 1843 and 1856.

© John Dunn.

Tanzimat stamps

By the time the first Ottoman postage stamp came out in 1863, the Middle East was enmeshed in an ever-tightening network of European communications, trade, finance, and naval power.

Sultan Abdulaziz

Fu'ad Pasha

Ali Pasha

Ali Pasha and Fu’ad Pasha were keeping Sultan Abdulaziz in the background as they implemented far-reaching reforms intended to revive the Empire’s flagging strength. Postal reforms in the Empire were thus part of the broader reformist effort (known as the Tanzimat).
© John Dunn.