Blouse

This sheer embroidered woman’s blouse was most likely produced for sale to foreign visitors. Similar garments can be seen in Orientalist photographs of Ottoman harem women from the last decades of the nineteenth century. Made of white organdy, the waist-length, closely fitting blouse has a front opening that extends to the mid-bust, and long full sleeves. The sleeves, neck opening, and bodice area are decorated with satin stitch embroidery done in a white silk color that matches the fabric. A simplified and illegible version of the calligraphic insignia and royal symbol of the Ottoman sultans, the tughra, appears on each sleeve and the back. The bodice area is embroidered with floral motifs and two instances of a roundel design composed of Arabic script-like shapes surrounding a crescent moon and five-petalled rosette. Needle lace (known as oya) in the same color finishes the front opening and sleeves. There are three similar garments in the collection (C.I.46.9.226, C.I.43.12.74 and C.I.59.34.2), indicating the popularity of this item with foreign visitors to Turkey.