This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Ottoman official document containing the Tughra

Location:

Hamburg, Germany

Holding Museum:

MKG Museum for Applied Arts

About MKG Museum for Applied Arts, Hamburg

Date of Object:

Hegira 1150 / AD 18th century

Museum Inventory Number:

2000.37

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Ink, paper, gold

Dimensions:

Length: 180cm x Width: 68cm

Period / Dynasty:

Ottoman

Provenance:

Turkey

Description:

The Ottoman Sultan's certificate presents an expressive, secular form of calligraphy. It is crowned by the ornate, triangular seal of the Sultan, the tughra. Here, it is the tughra of Sultan Mahmud I (1730-1754). The lines are written narrowly in gold, black and, red ink and each one is written in an upward curve to prevent the possibility of forgery. Official, ornamentally decorated documents, such as this one, would hang in offices or private houses and served as status symbols.

How date and origin were established:

Inscription mentions Sultan Mahmud I (1730-1754) and date Hegira 1150 / AD 1737.

How Object was obtained:

Purchased in 2000.

How provenance was established:

Purchased from Ms. Lienert.

Citation of this web page:

 "Ottoman official document containing the Tughra" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;de;Mus21;42;en

Copyedited by: Caitlin Link

MWNF Working Number: DE1 42