Inside the Sakip Sabanci Museum, photo by Scott Dexter via Flickr
Of Turkey’s top aristocratic families, the name Sabancı stands among the uppermost of the hierarchy, with it famous blue and white double bubble logo embossed on a seemingly endless line of businesses, foundations, universities, banks — you name it. At Sakıp Sabancı’s death in 2004, the family was ranked as the world’s 147th richest by Forbes, with $3.2 billion in assets. Happily for art lovers in Turkey, a slice was dedicated to establishing the Sakip Sabanci Museum in his former home in Emirgan, a well-to-do neighborhood on the west bank of the Bosphorus, easily visible on a Bosphorus Strait sightseeing cruise
The building itself dates to 1927, when Prince Mehmed Ali Hasan of Egypt commissioned Italian architect Edouard De Nari to build what is now the museum’s main building. Purchased by the Sabancı family in 1951 (along with the lush furnishings), the first new art piece was installed soon after in the garden, a statue of a horse from 1864 by French sculptor Louis Doumas. The building remained a family residence until 1998, when it, along with Sakıp’s beloved books and calligraphy collection was given to Sabancı University to be transformed into a museum. A modern annex was added, and in 2002, the museum was opened to the public.
In the following years, the collection (and building) grew further, adding a significant collection of paintings, especially work by Turkish artists circa 1850-1950 like Konstantin Kapıdağlı, Osman Hamdi Bey, Şeker Ahmed Paşa and Süleyman Seyyid. Furniture and decorative art of the 18th and 19th century get a spotlight as well, in the entry level of the Atlı Köşk mansion are preserved with the furnishings and objects of decorative art of the 18th and 19th centuries (think Louis XIV), including glittering chandeliers, ornate 18th-century porcelain vases and elegant bronze statuettes.
What generates the longest lines out the door (on some days, having to turn away people) are the temporary exhibits, which draw from the greatest of the greats — Joan Miró, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, Anish Kapoor, Karel Appel, Dali and the like. All are arranged with expert care in light, airy rooms over several floors, that although sometimes crowded (especially with school groups) give enough opportunity to find your own space.
Although it gets fewer visitors, the heart of the museum still remains the book and calligraphy collection located on the top floor of the Atlı Köşk (Horse Mansion), which includes illuminated Korans, prayer books, calligraphic compositions, official documents bearing the imperial cipher of the Ottoman sultans, and calligrapher’s tools, dating back to the 14th century.
Perhaps the best way to end any tour is at the museum’s restaurant, Müzedechanga, which although pricey, has won several awards for its cuisine, ideally eaten on the terrace with fabulous Bosphorus views.
