Image of the Turks in the 17th Century Europe

The Image of Turks in Europe in the 17th Century exhibition was held at Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum, and demonstrated how Ottoman-European relationships and political events were reflected in the arts, a theme in common with an earlier exhibition entitled From the Medicis to the Savoias, Ottoman Splendour in Florentine Collections. Along with providing a valuable collection of art for museums, the large number of portraits depicting foreigners posing in Turkish costume in their homeland after battling the Turks demonstrates how "Fear of the Turks" became a fascination. Ottoman goods that were either acquired as booty or the result of warfare, received as gifts or purchased, played an important role in European social life and have always been interesting subjects for historians and other social researchers. The exhibition displayed 92 oil paintings, landscapes and engravings from different museums in Central Europe (especially Slovenia) and private collections from England and Turkey. The exhibition was made possible with the contribution of Credit Suisse.