Gold tuğra of Sultan Abdülhamid II

h. 1298 [1880]

Sami Efendi was one of the most eminent late Ottoman calligraphers, famed for his tuğras or imperial ciphers. He wrote the ciphers of Sultan Abdülaziz (r. 1861-76), Abdülhamid II (r. 1876-1909) and Sultan Mehmed VI Reşad (r. 1909-18). The levha (calligraphic panel) exhibited here consists of the tuğra of Sultan Abdülhamid II, prepared using a template by Sami Efendi. The composition was intended for hanging on a wall. The tuğra designed by Mustafa Rakım (d. 1826) for Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808-39) led to the perfection of calligraphic compositions featuring the imperial cipher. This example is drawn in gold ink on thick black paper. At the upper right is a bouquet of flowers in the westernised style popular in the 19th century. At the lower right is the signature of Sami Efendi and the date AH 1298. The composition is encircled by a plain gold border and an outer gold border consisting of scrolling foliate motifs at each side and at the corners.