ISTANBUL (AA) : The National Palaces Painting Museum workshop, the sole representative of Ottoman palace paintings, is currently restoring the “Family Tree” painting from the era of Sultan Abdülhamid I.
The National Palaces Painting Museum, home to collections from the 16th to 20th centuries, consisting of artworks commissioned and acquired by Ottoman sultans, showcases these treasures to both local and international art enthusiasts.
Within the museum’s restoration and conservation workshop, expert teams diligently restore artworks from the rich painting collection, preparing them to be exhibited again.
Currently in focus at the workshop is the restoration of the “Family Tree” painting, considered an important piece from the Ottoman era of Sultan Abdülhamid I (1774-1789). This particular artwork is one of three “Family Tree” pieces from the National Palaces Collection.
The “Family Tree” tradition, initiated in the Ottoman palace, is represented by three paintings, with the other two currently residing abroad. In the works created during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid I, portraits of the sultans are presented within the branches of a tree that covers the entire composition, connected by ribbons. At the top is Osman Gazi, and at the bottom is Sultan Abdülhamid I, with the silhouette of the Sultanahmet Mosque and square visible behind the tree.
Hatice Biga, the head of the National Palaces Painting Restoration and Conservation Workshop, explained the restoration process: “We have workshops for paintings in inventory that require restoration. We conduct the processes in this workshop. After the initial assessment, the artworks are transferred here for restoration, ensuring that the appropriate restoration works are carried out before relocating them to the exhibition area on-site.”
Biga highlighted, “Among the restored works is the ‘Siege of Vienna’ from the early 19th century. Additionally, we have a large-sized piece considered one of the world’s most significant artworks. The restoration process has just begun for the anonymous ‘Family Tree’ painting from the era of Sultan Abdülhamid I. It arrived in our workshop in a heavily worn and damaged state. The restoration process has just commenced. The ‘Family Tree’ is a valuable piece brought during the era of Sultan Abdülhamid I.”
Emphasizing that they work as a team of eight, Biga mentioned that various restoration processes are applied. After restoration, some works will be displayed in the Painting Museum, while others will be exhibited at Dolmabahçe Palace.
Restorer and Conservator Fadimana Karabucak Yılmaz stressed the importance of using recyclable materials in their work. She expressed, “I am currently performing retouching with recyclable paints. Being able to touch these artworks makes me feel very special and happy. Each artwork has a unique story. When each piece comes in for restoration, there is preliminary research and we obtain information about the period it belongs to.”
Gülsen Kaya, the Head of the National Palaces Painting Museum, underlined the museum’s significance, saying, “It is the sole representative of Ottoman painting art in Turkey and the world. We take pride in our Painting Museum at National Palaces. There are very special pieces in the museum, the most prominent being Felix-Auguste Clement’s painting ‘Prince Halim’s Gazelle Hunt in the ‘Gatah Desert’ moved from Said Halim Pasha Mansion.’ This artwork is Turkey’s largest orientalist painting.”
Kaya highlighted the institution’s significant contributions to museum services, promotion, and restoration, saying, “Our institution has many important workshops. One of the most crucial ones is the painting restoration workshop. Maintenance and repair work is carried out on paintings, frames and watercolors separately, and paper and oil paintings receive different repairs.”
She also shared that the museum displayed around 600 artworks, and in 2024, they plan to offer significant education services for art enthusiasts. Kaya concluded, “Last year, 460,000 people visited the National Palaces Painting Museum. The museum expanded and reopened with new sections, new decorations, and a new collection on Jan. 15, 2021, inaugurated by our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Since then, 1 million people have visited the museum in three years.”
