Lale (tulip)
The flower that became the emblem of Ottoman decorative art.
What does it mean?
After the first half of the 16th century the tulip became one of the main motifs of Turkish decorative arts. In the new style developed by Kara Memi, court illuminator under Kanuni (Süleyman the Magnificent), the tulip was used together with the rose and the carnation; it appeared in manuscripts, tiles, metal and wood work, and textiles [1]. Because the word “lâle” is written with the same letters as “Allah”, its abjad value is also the same (66); read backwards it becomes “hilâl” (crescent) [1]. The passion for tulips peaked in the 18th century; this period later came to be called the Tulip Era (Lale Devri, 1718–1730) [1]. The tulip is also common on gravestones: on stones dated 1791–1840 studied in Istanbul’s Karacaahmet Cemetery, the tulip is mostly carved in the upper corners of the headstone, in symmetrical pairs on branches that split in two from a single stem; according to the researcher it expresses the transience of life and divine power [2].
Same theme
Sources
Drawing: Bitki Tabanı, interpreted from the traditional motif.