The Architects of Ottoman Constantinople: The Balyan Family and the History of Ottoman Architecture

306 Pages·2015·9.718 MB·English

by  Alyson Wharton

Alyson Wharton gained her PhD in Art
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and Architecture at sOAs under Professor
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Doris Behrens-Abouseif and is now Assistant
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Professor of the history of Art at Mardin

Artuklu University, turkey. A
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the Balyan family were a dynasty of
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architects, builders and property owners who
“A sagacious study of a recently much discussed
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acted as the official architects to the Ottoman
aspect of nineteenth century Ottoman art and
o sultans throughout the eighteenth and
cultural history. Using archival sources along
A f nineteenth centuries. Originally Armenian,
with the architectural legacy, Alyson Wharton ly o the family is responsible for some of the most
elucidates the role of the Balyan family of s famous Ottoman buildings in existence,
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architects, who shaped Ottoman architectural many of which are regarded as masterpieces
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aesthetics in the nineteenth century, while of their period – including the Dolmabahçe
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exploring at the same time the position of the h Palace (built between 1843 and 1856), parts
Armenian community to which they belonged A m of the Topkapı Palace, the Çırağan Palace
r A and the Ortaköy Mosque. forging a unique
within Ottoman society.” T
o n style based around european contemporary
PrOfessOr DOris Behrens-A BOUseif, s OAs, n architecture but with distinctive Ottoman

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Balyan’s own history, of falling in and out of
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favour with increasingly autocratic sultans,
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serves as a record of courtly power in the
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with the history of istanbul itself.
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The Balyan Family and the History of
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Cover image: Pertevniyal valide sultan Mosque (1872), Aksaray,
istanbul. interior, trompe l’oeil dome, depicting multi-lobed arches
and other neo-Islamic motifs but also bouquets of flowers and a
central calligraphic medallion (Courtesy of the author).
A lyson W h A rTon
Jacket design: Alice Marwick www.ibtauris.com
The Architects of Ottoman Constantinople AW.indd 1-4,6-7 29/10/2014 11:52
Alyson Wharton gained her PhD in History of Art at SOAS under Professor Doris
Behrens-Abouseif and is now Assistant Professor of the History of Art at Mardin
Artuklu University, Turkey.

THE ARCHITECTS
OF OTTOMAN
CONSTANTINOPLE
The Balyan Family and the History of Ottoman
Architecture
A W
LYSON HARTON
For my parents Daphne and Tony
Newpaperbackeditionpublishedin2015byI.B.Tauris&CoLtd
London(cid:129)NewYork
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Copyrightq2015AlysonWharton
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LibraryofOttomanStudies45
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CONTENTS
List of Figures and Colour Plates vi
Acknowledgements x
Note on Transliteration xii
Abbreviations xiii
Archival Document Collection Codes from the Ba(cid:1)sbakanlık Ar(cid:1)sivi (BBK)/
Ottoman Prime Ministry Archives xiv
1. Introduction 1
2. The Position of Imperial Architect and the Balyan Family 24
3. Karapet Balyan as an Amira and his Role in the
Mobilization of the Armenian Community of
Constantinople 56
4. The Balyan Family, Paris and the Birth of the
Armenian–Ottoman Romantic Era 76
5. Official Style and Architecture in the Tanzimat 97
6. The Networks Behind the Imperial Building
Works of the Tanzimat 141
7. The Downfall of Serkis Balyan 167
8. Conclusion 176
Notes 185
Bibliography 232
Index 251
LIST OF FIGURES AND COLOUR PLATES
All images are photographs by Alyson Wharton.
List ofFigures
Figure 1S urp Asdvadzadzin Church (1838), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul.
Exterior facade of church viewed from street. 69
Figure 2S urp Asdvadzadzin Church (1838), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul.
Interior, view of stucco ornament on side wall. 71
Figure 3M ausoleum of Mahmud II (1839–41), C¸emberlita(cid:1)s, Istanbul.
Interior, view of stucco ornament on side wall. 71
Figure 4A karetler Apartment Buildings (1875), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Exterior. 88
Figure 5N usretiye Mosque (1826), Tophane, Istanbul. Exterior,
entrance facade and sultan’s lodges viewed from street. 103
Figure 6N usretiye Mosque (1826), Tophane, Istanbul. Interior,
ornate grille of the sultan’s lodge viewed from prayer hall. 105
Figure7MausoleumofMahmudII(1839–41),C¸emberlita(cid:1)s,Istanbul.
ExteriorofmausoleumandcemeteryfacingontotheDivanyolu. 107
Figure 8M ausoleum of Mahmud II (1839–41), C¸emberlita(cid:1)s, Istanbul.
Entrance gate to mausoleum and cemetery complex with symbolic
motifs including sunbursts rising from roses. 108
Figure 9S urp Asdvadzadzin Church (1838), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Baptismal
altar in side room, decorated with sunbursts rising from stones. 109
Figure 10 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Entrance facade
topped by pediment and tug˘ra (sultan’s monogram). 120
Figure 11 Mecidiye Mosque (1848), C¸ırag˘an, Istanbul. Italianate-style
entrance to courtyard with tug˘ra and inscription. 121
LISTOF FIGURES AND COLOUR PLATES vii
Figure 12 Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque (1872), Aksaray, Istanbul.
Neo-Islamic entrance to mosque complex from Divanyolu, adorned
with tug˘ra and inscription. 121
Figure 13 Kag˘ıthane/ C¸ag˘layan Mosque (1862), Istanbul. Neo-Ottoman
mihrab (prayer niche) in the style of the Green Mosque of Bursa. 126
Figure 14 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Seaside facade
with relief carving. 128
Figure 15 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Interior, paintwork
showing militaristic clusters alongside the ever-present bouquet of flowers. 130
Figure 16 C¸ırag˘an Palace (1871), C¸ırag˘an, Istanbul. Exterior, entrance
facade with Gothic and Neo-Islamic carved ornament. 136
Figure 17 Beylerbeyi Palace (1864), Beylerbeyi, Istanbul. Exterior,
entrance facade in Renaissance style. 136
Figure 18 Beylerbeyi Palace (1864), Beylerbeyi, Istanbul. Interior ceiling
showing Neo-Islamic painted decoration interspersed with floral bouquets
and with a naval painting by Ayvazovski. 137
Figure 19 Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque (1872), Aksaray, Istanbul.
Fa(cid:1)cade of mosque on the Divanyolu road. 138
Figure 20 Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque (1872), Aksaray, Istanbul.
Interior of mosque with Neo-Islamic and Neo-Ottoman paintwork
and Gothic window grilles. 139
List ofColour Plates
Plate1SurpAsdvadzadzinChurch(1838),Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s,Istanbul.Viewofaltarwithstucco
andcarved marble,all-seeing-eye,sunbursts,and paintingsby Umed Behzadbehind.
Plate 2S urp Asdvadzadzin Church (1838), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. View of stucco dome
with holy Armenian letters.
Plate 3M ausoleum of Mahmud II (1839–41), C¸emberlita(cid:1)s, Istanbul.Interior, stucco
dome.
Plate 4D olmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Seaside facade on the
Bosphorus.
Plate5Dolmabah(cid:1)cePalace(1856),Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s,Istanbul.GateoftheTreasuryinthestyle
of a triumphal arch, adorned with inscription and tug˘ra.
viii THE ARCHITECTSOF OTTOMANCONSTANTINOPLE
Plate 6D olmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Interior, trompe l’oeil ceiling in
hamam room with images of triumphal arches with tug˘ras.
Plate 7D olmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Interior, trompe l’oeil dome of
Audience Hall depicting triumphal arches with tug˘ras and floral bouquets on
pendentives.
Plate 8D olmabah(cid:1)ce Palace (1856), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Interior, ceiling painted by
Charles Se´chan.
Plate9IhlamurPavilion(1853),Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s,Istanbul.Entrancefacadewithrelief-carved
decoration, curving stairways and fountain.
Plate 10 Go¨ksu/Ku¨(cid:1)cu¨ksu Pavilion (1856), Ku¨(cid:1)cu¨ksu, Istanbul. Entrance facade with
relief-carved decoration, curving stairways and fountain.
Plate11Go¨ksu/Ku¨(cid:1)cu¨ksuPavilion(1856),Ku¨(cid:1)cu¨ksu,Istanbul.Interior,ceilingpainted
by Charles Se´chan.
Plate 12 Mecidiye Mosque (1848), C¸ırag˘an, Istanbul. Painted stucco dome with
vegetal and floral motifs including prominent bouquets of flowers, and with central
calligraphic medallion
Plate 13 Mecidiye Mosque (1848), C¸ırag˘an, Istanbul. Interior, view of marble mihrab
carved with the same motifs seen in the dome and on the minber and kursi (garlands,
vegetal and floral motifs) and with a shell-shaped niche.
Plate 14 Hırka-ı S(cid:1)erif Mosque (1848), Fatih, Istanbul. Interior, painted stucco dome
with similar vegetal and floral motifs to those seen in the Mecidiye Mosque and also
including prominent bouquets of flowers, and with central calligraphic medallion.
Plate15Hırka-ıS(cid:1)erifMosque(1848),Fatih,Istanbul.Interior,carvedmarbleofkursi,
with scalloping, egg-and-dart and floral motifs, which match those adorning the
mihrab and minber.
Plate 16 Hırka-ı S(cid:1)erif Mosque (1848), Fatih, Istanbul. Interior, carved minber with
garlands,acanthusandflowerheadmotifsmatchingtherestofthereligiousfurniture.
Plate 17 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Mosque (1854), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Exterior, facade with wheel
windows, lining the shores of the Bosphorus.
Plate 18 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Mosque (1854), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Interior, trompe l’oeil dome
depictingcoffering,panelling,arches,shells,cartouches,etc.andeight-pointedstarsin
the pendentives.
Plate19Dolmabah(cid:1)ceMosque(1854),Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s,Istanbul.Interior,viewofscagliolawall
decoration, and empty brooch motif as well as porphyry minber.
LISTOF FIGURES AND COLOUR PLATES ix
Plate 20 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Mosque (1854), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Gilded porphyry mihrab
carved with acanthus, shells, S-scrolls etc.
Plate 21 Dolmabah(cid:1)ce Mosque (1854), Be(cid:1)sikta(cid:1)s, Istanbul. Gilded porphyry kursi,
carved with empty brooches, egg-and-dart, acanthus, ovals, shells, scalloping, etc.
Plate 22 Ortako¨y Mosque (1854–5), Ortako¨y, Istanbul. Exterior, view of platform
projecting out into Bosphorus and sultan’s lodge behind.
Plate 23 Ortako¨y Mosque (1854–5), Ortako¨y, Istanbul. Interior, trompe l’oeil dome,
depicting columns, arches and painted versions of the porphyry mihrab in the prayer
hall below.
Plate 24 Ortako¨y Mosque (1854–5), Ortako¨y, Istanbul. Interior, view of prayer hall
with chandelier, porphyry minber and mihrab, scagliola wall decoration and round-
arched windows with decorative grilles.
Plate 25 Kag˘ıthane/ C¸ag˘layan Mosque (1862), Istanbul. Exterior, view of site of the
mosque on the banks of the river.
Plate 26 Kag˘ıthane/ C¸ag˘layan Mosque (1862), Istanbul. Interior, painted dome
depictingemptybroochmotifs,shellsandfloralandvegetalornamentincludingfloral
bouquets, with central calligraphic medallion.
Plate 27 Beylerbeyi Palace (1864), Beylerbeyi, Istanbul. Scagliola wall decoration
depicting Owen Jones Moorish-style ornament, but with shells, acorns and floral
bouquets, and with Neo-Islamic furniture.
Plate 28 Beylerbeyi Palace (1864), Beylerbeyi, Istanbul. Woodwork in Neo-Islamic
designs by Vortik Kemhaciyan.
Plate 29 Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque (1872), Aksaray, Istanbul. Interior, trompe
l’oeil dome, depicting multi-lobed arches and other Neo-Islamic motifs but also
bouquets of flowers and the central calligraphic medallion.
Plate30PertevniyalValideSultanMosque(1872),Aksaray,Istanbul.Interior,viewof
paintworkinNeo-Ottomanstyleshowingcartouchesandblindarches.Ottomansu¨lu¨s
inscription and grey marble mihrab but with a Mughal style onion dome and Gothic
window grilles.