Old Turkish fabric patterns and the applications of the last fifty years

The art of Turkish weaving had begun in the Central Asia, continued during Seljuks, and reached it?s peak at the 16th century Ottoman Art, when the empire was socially, politically and economically at the most powerful phase. During the 16th century, Ottoman fabrics had a vast application area, together with a rich pattern archive.In the 16th century, the leading court miniature painters, Baba Nakkaş, Şah Kulu and Kara Memi, worked, trained their students and created their ownd styles in the workshops of the Topkapı Palace. The origins and difference of their styles reflect the cultural synthesis of the Ottoman fabrics.Due to the precious materials used for fabric production, the products of the workshops were mainly presented to the consumption of the court and the public consumption was prohibited. After the declaration of Turkish Republic in 1923, the industrialization process begun in the textile industry. Ottoman patterns were presented to the consumption of the public.After the declaration of Turkish Republic, new schools and universities were opened, where the traditional Turkish patterns were taught to the new generations, and new designers were raised, who woudl create their designs within the traditional motifs.With the help of the pattern competitions, organised by the Foundations and Societies, the traditional motifs in the archives have been updated.This study has followed this route, and aimed to define the pattern method of the 16th century Turkish fabric design, which have a stylistic unity of its contemporaries and reached it?s peak and to explain the reflection of the contemporary potifs and textile designs.This study examines Turkish pattern method and design, from the past to the contemporary period. It is also aimed that to define the contribution of traditional patterns to the fabric designs and patterns of Turkey, Turkish pattern culture, and the situation in 2000?s.The fabric samples in the collections of leading Turkish and foreign museums were examined, and compared with the fabric designs and the patterns produced from the declaraiton of Turkish Republic to the 2000?s.Key words: Court, fabric, Ottoman, Industry.