Abstract
On the Use of Ancient City Ruins as a Theme in Ottoman Wall Paintings
The use of ancient buildings and their remains as a theme in painting was commonplace in the 19th century. In Europe, the Renaissance thought's interest in Antiquity, as well as fields such as science, philosophy, and literature, showed itself with the reflection of these elements on the art of painting. The nationalism and nation-state model brought by the French Revolution caused societies to search for their roots and to follow the traces of past civilizations. The increase in interest in archeology after the occupation of Egypt by the Napoleonic armies ensured that the ancient period and its cities remained on the agenda for Europeans uninterruptedly. The orientalist artists of the 19th century gave a large place to the depictions of ancient cities in their paintings, and photography, a new and effective means of expression, caused the images of archaeological sites to spread rapidly. In this study, after firstly addressing the historical significance of ancient city ruins as a theme in western painting, the focus is on the Ottoman Empire's interest in the subject during the 19th century and the reflections of ancient city ruins in Ottoman wall paintings.
Keywords
Ottoman, Osmanlı Duvar Resimleri, Antique Ruins, Orientalism, Modernism