Painting Museum to exhibit five portraits of Mehmed the Conqueror

Ömer Erbil-ISTANBUL

The Directorate of National Palaces, an affiliate of the Turkish Presidency, has announced that the Painting Museum will reopen in autumn and exhibit five portraits of Fatih Sultan Mehmed, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror.

“Portraits by Italian painter Fausto Zonaro and Turkish artists Hasan Rıza, Halil Pasha, Feyhaman Duran and Veronese will be exhibited,” said officials of the directorate in a written statement.

Zonaro’s Fatih portrait, which was made in 1907, is a big copy of Bellini’s portrait from 1480. Feyhaman Duran’s Fatih portrait had been exhibited at Topkapı Palace until now.

“Art lovers will meet the portrait by Halil Pasha for the first time,” said the statement.

Last week, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality bought a portrait of Fatih, said to be by Bellini, for 6.5 million Turkish Liras in an auction in London and announced that the portrait will be displayed in the municipality’s building in Saraçhane district.

“We have made our announcements on June 18, just one week before the London auction,” said the Directorate of National Palaces in the statement, in an attempt to end speculations that the new exhibition was in response to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

“We wish to have an art agenda far from politics.”

After seven years of restoration work, the Veliahd Residence in Dolmabahçe Palace in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul turned into the Painting Museum, which consists of 11 sections in thematic integrity.

With the latest renovation, there will be around 30 sections and one of them will be named “Portraits of Sultans,” where five Fatih portraits will be on display.