Yıldız Palace photographs in France

LYON – Anadolu Agency

The exhibition “Yıldız Palace Photography Collection,” which features the Ottoman State’s political, social, cultural and economic relations with the world through the photography collection of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, opened in France on May 29. 

The exhibition, which also displays photographs relating to Ottoman-France relations in the 19th century, was organized at the Lyon Municipality building with the contributions of the Paris Municipality and Lyon Consulate General. 

The curator of the exhibition, Kamil Fırat, said they planned a four-leg project consisting of France, Germany, England and the United States. 

“Relations between societies are rocky because they have a long history. There is only one place where it breaks—the cultural area. This area brings all societies closer, thanks to its common language. In this sense, the event here contributes to it,” he said. 

The opening ceremony of the exhibition hosted Turkey’s Lyon Consul General Özgür Çakar, as well as many other guests. 

Following the opening ceremony, the film titled “Through Ottoman Eyes/A Travers Le Regard Ottoman,” featuring the story of the Yıldız Palace Photography Collection, consisting of 911 albums and 36,585 frames of photos, was shown. 

The documentary film was produced and directed by Ümran Safter with the consultation of Fırat and Melek Özyetgin. The film was first shown abroad in London in April.

The exhibition, which will open through June 7, was opened in UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and the eastern French city of Nancy, will also open in Vienna on June 9. 

The UNESCO Turkish National Committee declared the Yıldız Palace Photography Collection one of two nominees from Turkey for the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.