Book review

THE AGE OF SINAN

The book Sinan and his time represent one of best and largest studies about life and work of ingenious Ottoman’s architect Mimar Sinan.

Fascination with his architecture lasts even today, and the approach to such theme can be manifold. The author of the book, Gulru Necipoglu didn’t puiblish Sinan’s work choronologically, but, according to orderers of his objects. Thus, we have those, which he worked for sultans, princeses, princes and their relatives, then for grand viziers, army leaders, local nobility ect., and within this, not only the objects that are placed in Turkey of today, but also those present in the Near East and in the Balkans.

Otherwise, the author largely approached the theme, describing not only the art but also the spirit of the time, as well as political situation in which Sinan lived and worked. Photograps in the book don’t show exclusively objects but the spatial plans and drawings, then geography maps, documents, miniatures, drawings and all that would in a best way emphasize this excellent scientific work with illustrations.

Therefore, the book about Sinan and his time represents an unavoidable literature related to most brilliant period of the Ottomans’ arts.

The rest of the article you can read in the magazine.