A splendid sultan's tent with floral designs: Dresden opens the doors to the spectacular "Turkish Chamber" - By  Bernhard Schulz

The Dresden State Art Collections is proudly presenting their latest attraction - after 70 years, the "Türckische Cammer" (Turkish Chamber) has returned from its exile in storage.

This collection is not just another addition to the monumental Dresden State Art Collections but a genuine meeting of two cultures - quite the opposite of the feared "clash of civilizations" Samuel P. Huntington described in his book of the same name.

Rightly so, because treating this collection of Ottoman treasures solely as the folly of absolutist rulers would be missing the point. Although almost all the objects were brought to Dresden by the electors of Saxony over several centuries, this exhibition is about cultural exchange.

"Turkish Chamber" is shorthand for the collection of Ottoman art that is just one part of the former Armory, which is gradually again taking up residence in its former home in the Dresden Royal Palace. The restoration of the palace as one of the grandest centers of European museum culture is a work in progress spread over two decades and costing an estimated ?337 million. The state of Saxony is, in its own way, embracing the princely tradition of displaying royal splendor.

The Ottoman objects, collected since the 16th century, served exactly that purpose originally. Augustus II the Strong, Elector of Saxony and king of Poland twice in the period 1694-1733 repeatedly expanded the collection, with the final acquisitions in 1728 in his second royal seat, Warsaw. Two years later, Augustus II presented his new army in a huge field camp of 1,000 tents, including 300 of Ottoman origin. Its centerpiece, the sultan's tent, had probably been left behind when the Ottomans retreated after their siege of Vienna in 1683. This wonderful tent looks anything but martial: Its abundance of green and golden floral designs on red cotton is probably a reference to the promise of paradise made by the Koran.

The relation between Ottoman and Western history is what makes the Dresden collection so unique. Instead of providing the scholarly overview of a modern museum of Islamic art, it instead explores the changing relations between Orient and Occident, between war and diplomacy. Dirk Syndram, director of the Dresden Armory, calls it the history of a "fascination of horror." That subject was also brought up at a recent conference which included representatives of the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institution and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Everyone agreed that though times of cultural exchange between Saxons and Turks alternated with times of war, each side was curious about the other.  Occasionally, though, that was mixed with a lack of understanding. Yet while the Turkish fashion only served as a form of entertainment in Europe, the Ottoman Empire was trying to acquire knowledge and skills from Europe to improve its political system.               

The Turkish Chamber is designed to evoke the idea of an oriental night, Syndram explained.  Its architect Peter Kulka, born in Dresden, previously designed the new atrium roof for the Kleiner Schlosshof (small courtyard) of the Dresden Palace, an extremely delicate modernization. His suggestive design of the Turkish Chamber with its deep blue walls, black slate floor and few spotlights illuminating the objects enhances the nocturnal atmosphere. Greeting visitors at the entrance are five spectacular life-size wooden horses in full regalia.

At the end of the exhibit, the visitor passes another horse model with a precious caparison, or ornamental covering for a horse. It was commissioned by Christian II, Elector of Saxony in 1610 in Prague, which was then ruled by Habsburg Emperor Rudolph II. The caparison is covered in Ottoman motifs as well as an inscription in Latin, celebrating the elector. The horses are new; the originals were destroyed during the bombing of Dresden in World War II.

There are only a few war trophies in the collection, among them a blood-red flag from a Janissary corps looted in 1683 in front of the Vienna city gates, and then given to the city of Dresden by the victors. The people of Dresden are quite sensitive when it comes to looted art because of history - Russia or the claims of the formerly ruling House of Wettin come to mind. But the Saxon regents either received these pieces as diplomatic presents or bought the works legitimately on the art market.

This is also the case with the sultan's tent. With its 66 feet, it covers the central collection room entirely. A side room of the tent is an armory with swords, axes, drums, helmets and mail shirts - and most of all with bows and arrows. The oldest date back to before 1600 and they are preserved with their original stringing, which is unique in the world.   

The restoration of the sultan's tent, which in former times had quite naturally been used outdoors to entertain the elector, took 14 years and cost millions of euros.

Türckische Cammer.
The Electoral Saxon Collection of Oriental Art
in the Dresden Armory.
Residenzschloss Dresden, Wed. to Mon. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
admission ?10/7.50, catalogue ?39.90. www.skd.museum