A rare and important ivory plaque of Sultan Abdulaziz (r. 1861-1876), Europe for the Ottoman market, circa 1868

the elongated oval carved ivory plaque with a waisted section on which the figure of Sultan Abdulaziz is rendered in a three dimensional fashion, with engraved details of medals on clothing and long sword, sitting on a chair next to a table stacked with books in front of a curtained window, set in a scrolling vine frame, above a military blazon, mounted on a dark velvet background within a silver frame with scrolling vines carved in relief, same military blazon to top with inscribed frame and tughra to base and incised on reverse 

Ex-Mustafa Tevfiq Pasha Collection

Mustafa Tevfiq Pasha (d.1879) was born in Adana, Southern Turkey, and began his career in Cairo under Ibrahim Pasha. After moving to Istanbul, he was appointed commander in the army during the Crimean war and became a member of the military council.

In general good condition, two small plaques missing on ivory carving, notably to top within laurel wreath and in frame on military blazon, some tarnishing to silver, as viewed.
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Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-1876) was a great admirer of fine arts. He commissioned sculptures, oil portraits and miniature portraits depicting both himself and other members of the Ottoman household by both foreign and local court artists. It has been noted that this interest in Western art and sculpture came after the Sultan’s journey to Europe in which he was impressed by the museums which he saw and set up the Istanbul Archaeology Museum on his return.

It is suggested that a photograph of the Sultan now in the Topkapi Palace Museum  (TSM inv. no. 17/228), which was probably taken in Vienna in 1868 by court photographer Viçhen Abdullah influenced the present carved portrait (illustrated in: Istanbul 2000, p. 525, no. 170). The photograph was also used as model for two miniature oil portraits by Josef Manas (TSM inv. no. 17/233 and 17/236), one dated 1892, and a marble bust by Charles Fuller (TSM inv. no. 17/608).

No other carved ivory portrait of Sultan Abdülaziz is recorded in any state or private collections known to us. There is only one comparable set in the Topkapi Museum (TSM inv. no. 17/98), consisting of thirty-two ivory miniature portraits of Ottoman sultans, which might belong to the same atelier. The last portrait in this set is of Sultan Abdülaziz, suggesting it was produced under his patronage.

The present bust, as the military blazon both on the portrait and the frame indicates, must have been a private commission, possibly to commemorate a specific event. This could have been the foundation of the Lycée Imperial Ottoman de Galata-Sérai (Galatasaray Mekteb-I Sultanisi) in September 1868, as established by the books located on the table next to the Sultan. It is noteworthy that the Lycée was founded in the same year in which the photograph mentioned previously was taken.