The Sultan Mehmet II by Gentile Bellini

The Sultan Mehmet II by Gentile Bellini is a bust style portrait that was made in Istanbul in 1480. The background is black and in the two upper hand corners there are three small crowns. Around Mehmet is an arch that is quite ornate in gold and brown colors. He is wearing a white and red turban. Mehmet’s head is almost in profile, turned to the left, but turned just so the viewer can see his right eye and eyebrow. He has a serious or serene look on his face. The viewer sees him from the chest up and he is wearing a red robe and a brown fur over his shoulders. At the bottom of the painting there is a stone altar with brown bejeweled tapestry placed over it. Overall there is a general theme of opulence, power, and strength.

Across the painting there are symbols of wealth and power. There are seven miniature crowns displayed across the painting. Six are floating in the air at the top of the painting and one has been incorporated into the tapestry. Mehmet was one of the most powerful rulers in the time. Additionally there may be some references to the Roman Empire in the style of architecture in the arch and the engraved date in Roman numerals on the altar. These additions could be two-fold: the artist’s Italian origin or the desire for Mehmet’s dominance to be compared to this great empire. Also the positioning of his body is almost profile, which could make the visual comparison to the Roman medallions and therefore the power of Roman emperors.

In the set up of the painting there is a sense of symmetry in the arch shape, patterns on the arch, the duplicated crowns, and the designs on the tapestry. These could symbolize stability and strength. Generally in lighting, Mehmet is in a softer light and the jewels shine brightly, which is a tactic that could have been used to draw the viewers eyes to his wealth. As Mehmet is alone in this painting, Bellini may have chosen this set up to emphasize his presence. The flatness of his person may be to copy the Byzantine style and compare him to how icons were depicted. Bellini used architecture in the arches, the beautiful tapestry, and the symbols of royalty to convey Mehmet’s great traits as a ruler.