LONDON, UK.- From 22 January 2005, the Royal Academy of Arts will present a spectacular exhibition exploring the artistic achievements of the Turks over a thousand historic years. The exhibition will present an extraordinary array of textiles, carpets, manuscripts, calligraphy, woodwork, metalwork and ceramics showing the staggering artistic diversity during this period. One of the most ambitious exhibitions to be presented at the RA, it will bring together a large number of works never previously shown outside Turkey.

Turks: A Journey of a Thousand Years, 600–1600 will be the first exhibition ever to explore the development of the Turks, and will comprise a wealth of materials, stretching from the eastern borders of modern China to the Balkans in the west.

Bringing together over 350 outstanding works, the exhibition is drawn principally from the celebrated collections of two Turkish museums: The Topkapı Saray Museum and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art of Istanbul.

Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: “Turks: A Journey of a Thousand Years, 600–1600 promises to be a landmark exhibition, giving a unique insight into the extraordinary artistic legacy of the Turks. The Turkish government is delighted to be collaborating with the Royal Academy of Arts, London on this important exhibition”.

President of the Royal Academy, Professor Phillip King said: “This will be the first such major exhibition at the RA since the highly popular and critically acclaimed International Exhibition of Persian Art in 1931, and continues the RA’s commitment to exploring art from world cultures. The RA is delighted to be working with these two outstanding Turkish museums in order to introduce a new audience to the artistic achievements of the Turks.”

In January 2005, the Royal Academy will present a landmark exhibition exploring the artistic and cultural riches of the Turks from Inner Asia to Istanbul and beyond. Spanning a period of a thousand years, from 600 to 1600 AD, a rich array of textiles, manuscripts, calligraphy, woodwork, metalwork and ceramics will show the artistic diversity that culminates in the splendours of the Ottoman Empire. The exhibition brings together over 350 outstanding works, drawn primarily from the celebrated collections of the Topkapı Saray Museum and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art of Istanbul, including numerous works which have never been exhibited outside Turkey.

Taking visitors on an extraordinary journey, this will be the first ever exhibition to explore the development of Turkic cultures, as they forged their way westwards across the eastern borders of Central Asia to the Balkans of eastern Europe. Throughout their nomadic wanderings each group of Turkic peoples appropriated and assimilated the new cultures they encountered. Turks: A Journey of a Thousand Years, 600–1600 will expose and explore the cultural interactions that gave rise to the great richness of artistic expression of this period.

The exhibition presents a wealth of artistic material from a momentous thousand-year period. It introduces the art of the Uigurs, a nomadic race who first rose to prominence in the 7th century at the crossroads of the Silk Route in Central Asia and goes on to explore three key empires: the Seljuks (c.1040-1243), the Timurids (c.1370-1500), and an examination of the Ottomans between 1453 and 1600. With a combination of charismatic leaders, strategic brilliance and military power these groups were able to conquer vast geographic areas and inspire artists to reach new heights of creativity.

The exhibition will bring together the extraordinary manuscripts by Siyah Qalem – ‘Mohamed of the Black Pen’ – one of the greatest treasures of the Topkapı Saray Library, never before exhibited outside Turkey. Amongst the numerous masterpieces on display will be an impressive 13th century Seljuk carpet from the mosque built for Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad in Konya, and a unique Timurid architecture scroll measuring 30 metres in length. From a wealth of Ottoman treasures exhibits will include an armoured kaftan of Mehmed ‘The Conqueror’, mosaic wooden doors designed by the great architect Sinan for the harem, the private living quarters, of the Sultan, and the ceremonial sword of Suleyman ‘The Magnificent’. In addition, the opening gallery will contain a visual introduction, which will highlight architectural sites specific to each cultural group.