Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires
Catarina Afonso
“Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires” will chart the city’s 1,600 years of tradition, art and design
This autumn, the V&A is presenting “Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires”, the accompanying publication for the museum’s exhibition of the same name. The exhibition will be curated by Tim Stanley, who is also one of the co-authors of the book alongside Antony Eastmond and Bella Radenović.
The exhibition and the book provide a new perspective on a city shaped and documented by artists across 1,600 years. They explore the rich history of one of the world’s great capitals, as well as the significance and influence of its artistic culture.
“Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires”: The publication
For 1,600 years, the city has been one of Europe’s most important political and cultural epicentres. Constantinople, its former name, was the capital of the Roman and Byzantine empires from AD 330. In 1453, the city was conquered by the Ottomans, becoming the empire’s capital until 1922. Under the two empires, the city developed distinct yet coherent traditions of art and design.
“Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires” is lavishly illustrated with objects including sculpture, ivories, manuscripts, icons, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, and weapons. This publication takes a close look at the challenges as well as the advantages of the city’s geographical position. It also explores how the changes in religion, ruling courts and patronage influenced the diverse artistic and cultural currents.
The book brings together authors from different fields of expertise, offering a range of perspectives on the city’s history and cultural heritage. Tim Stanley is a senior curator for the Middle East collection at the V&A. Antony Eastmond is the AG Leventis Professor of Byzantine Art at the Courtauld Institute in London. Bella Radenović is a project curator at the V&A and a specialist in Byzantine art.
“Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires”: The exhibition
“Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires”, the exhibition, will feature over 200 artefacts, artworks and examples of architectural design dating from AD 330 to 1922. It will include rarely seen decorative arts, including fine silks, mosaics, jewellery, sculpture and paintings.
The exhibition will showcase over 200 objects, including fine silks and textiles, ceramic tiles, mosaics, tableware, jewellery, as well as sculpture and architectural furnishings, works on paper, manuscripts and paintings. Many items will be on display in the UK for the first time. Highlights will include an Ottoman processional scroll from the 17th century, a unique portrait of Sultan Mehmed II, painted in 1479 by Venetian artist Gentile Bellini, and a long-necked lute (tanbur) dating to around 1750.
Four major themes
The exhibition will be divided into four themed sections. “Grand beginnings” focuses on Constantinople’s refounding in AD 330 as the capital of a unified Roman Empire under Constantine the Great. Then, “Heaven and Earth” explores the use of art and architecture for religious and political purposes. It also highlights the history of Hagia Sophia, which remains one of the most important buildings to this day.
Additionally, “Power to Reach” examines how the Ottoman imperial court projected authority in peace and war through visual spectacle. Finally, “Life in the City” explores the city as a cosmopolitan centre of diverse languages, faiths and artistic traditions.
The exhibition concludes with the influence of Byzantine and Ottoman art on 19th Century Europe, highlighting prints, textiles and mosaics from the V&A collection, such as work by Owen Jones and William Morris.
“Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires” opens at the V&A South Kensington on 7 November and will run until 9 May 2027. The exhibition was coordinated in partnership with Koç Holding, with support from the Huo Family. It was curated for the V&A by Senior Curator Tim Stanley and Project Curator Bella Radenović. Furthermore, the Ruddock Foundation for the Arts supports the publication.
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I have always been very curious and interested in many different areas of knowledge. Over time, I understood that the best way to pursue my interests is to also be able to communicate them.
I enrolled in a Communications degree, majoring in Journalism. Later on, I pursued a Master’s in Arts, Cognition and Criticism, in order to expand my communication expertise into the art criticism field. I approach art subjects and themes by combining my journalism training with my knowledge of art analysis, both at a cognitive and at an institutional level.
My passion for fashion goes hand in hand with my passion for the arts. Beyond the aesthetic aspect, I am interested in the narratives, the identity and the cultural significance behind a piece of clothing, a painting or a photograph.
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