IMM bought the Fatih Medallion, which has only 4 copies in the world, at an auction held in London. The medallion with the words “Osmanoğlu and the Byzantine Emperor” on it met with the Fatih Portrait and the Kanuni Table of the İBB. The medallion and many outstanding pieces in the İBB catalog will be opened to the visit of tourists from all over the country and the world at the Istanbul Art Museum.
An auction titled “Islamic and Indian World Art, Oriental Rugs and Carpets” was held at Christie's, one of the important art centers in London, the capital of England. The medallion depicting Mehmed the Conqueror, seen as the most special piece of the auction, was put up for auction. The work, designed by Constanza de Ferrara by personally seeing Fatih in Istanbul between 1464-1475, was purchased by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM). The 540-year-old medallion will be exhibited together with the portrait of Fatih, which was brought to Turkey, at the Istanbul Art Museum to be opened in the Golden Horn. The Basilica Cistern, which attracted great interest from tourists after the restoration, covered the cost of the project in 4 months. Bringing cultural heritage to the country, IMM will continue to add value to tourism with its projects, as in the example of the Basilica Cistern.
DESIGNED BY SELF SEEING
On the bronze coin cast in Naples right after the death of Fatih in 1481, there is the phrase "Osmanoğlu and the Byzantine Emperor". Sent to Istanbul by the king of Naples at the request of Fatih Rönesans Constanza de Ferrara, one of the famous artists of the period, came to Istanbul between 1464 and 1475 to prepare Fatih's medallion, saw Fatih himself and made the drawing to be used on the medallion. The artist also stayed in Istanbul until the death of Fatih.
Latin on the obverse of the coin; “Byzantine Emperor Osmanoğlu Sultan Muhammed 1481” is written on the reverse side and “Portrait of Mohammed, the Ruler of Asia and Greece on an Expedition”. It was known that only 3 examples of the coin were available so far, in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Ashmolean in Oxford, and the Victoria and Albert museums in London. The existence of the 4th coin was announced with the publication of the catalog of the auction in London.
RENAISSANCE WORK
The Ferrera medallion in this collection of Fatih, who started to have medallions made while he was still a prince, is distinguished from other similar ones with its fine workmanship. On one side of the coin is a much more detailed and clear portrait compared to the other medallions commissioned by Sultan Mehmed. On the other side, Fatih is depicted riding a horse on a soft rocky ground with two small leafless trees this time. He holds his horse's bridle in one hand and his sword in the other.
There is a knot in the tail of the slow-moving horse. Tying the tail of a horse while going to war is a common practice in Turkish culture.
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