This book by Dr. Hilal Kazan is a history of arts in the Ottoman period and a comprehensive reference on the Ottoman Palace’s management of the arts, based on the Ottoman Archives. Following the Introduction which briefly reviews the Palace’s patronage of the arts, the first part examines the localities of the workshops, i.e. the palaces and mansions, methods of support and patronage, remunerations for the artworks produced and various forms of assistance, and the organization of artists into occupational groups – guilds according to their branches. The second part is devoted to the sultans and princes who were patrons of the arts and handicrafts, from Yıldırım Bayezid to Murad III. The third part is on the arts and artists, where twenty-five different occupational branches, such as the arts of the book, metalwork, arms, costumes, and prominent artists, are presented. The book continues to serve as an important reference in its field.
