Istanbul hosts 'Orientalism in Polish Art' show

Stanislaw Chlebowski's 'Death of King Wladyslaw Jagiellonczyk at Varna'. Image: National Museum in Krakow

The show includes paintings, drawings, engravings and fabrics, ranging from the 17th century to the 19th century.

“We can see a lot of influences of this culture today,” commented Poland's Minister of Culture Malgorzata Omilanowska, who attended a Polish-Turkish conference in Istanbul.

“For example, we have words borrowed from the Turkish language, and customs - after all, thanks to the contacts with Turkey Poles began to drink coffee.

“Eastern influences can be seen in the costumes of the Polish nobilty,” she added.

During the 17th and 18th centuries in particular, Polish nobles cultivated the notion that that they were descended from the Sarmatians, a warrior tribe that reached Poland from the Black Sea Steppe.

As a result, a taste for Oriental style was highly fashionable.

Many Polish artists visited the Orient, some settling there, as is evidenced in the exhibition.

The show draws on works from the collections of branches of Poland's National Museum, among other Polish insititutions, as well as the Military Museum in Istanbul; and the Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation.

'Orientalism in Polish Art' runs until 18 January. (nh)

Source: mkidn.gov.pl