"This catalog accompanied the first comprehensive exhibition of Turkish art devoted to the most celebrated period of Ottoman history, the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. A brilliant jurist, Süleyman was also a discerning collector, a significant patron, and an accomplished poet. He, as well as his wife, daughter, sons, and court officials, commissioned many architectural monuments and literary and historical texts. The sophisticated patronage of Süleyman and his court nurtured the high standards and creativity that came to typify Ottoman art of the 16th century. 'The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent,' with more than 200 judiciously chosen works of art, includes manuscripts (with examples of Süleyman's own poetry) as well as jeweled vessels, silks, painted ceramics, and other sumptuous objects created in the imperial studios under the guidelines established by the sultan"--National Gallery of Art website.