The Tortoise Trainer Pendant

A special piece made by Atolye 4D and commissioned by Pera Museum in honour of Osman Hamdi Bey’s 1906 painting titled The Tortoise Trainer (pictured).

Osman Hamdi Bey was an Ottoman intellectual, and the first and last Orientalist painter of the Ottoman Empire. Unlike most Western painters spearheading Orientalism, Osman Hamdi Bey brought a unique perspective, observing the East from within.

The Tortoise Trainer is believed to be a social commentary, critiquing life [in Ottoman Empire at that time] through symbolism:

“The dervish is to train these thick-shelled, laggardly tortoises not by using force, but rather by playing the ney and nakkare, namely through art.” -Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation

Material: Sterling Silver Pendant
Measures: 2 x 1.5 cm