Kirjahaku

The Ottoman Touch is an introduction to the classical arts and crafts of the Ottoman period. Being both an academic and artist, Kusoglu discovers the subtle secrets of various traditional arts and crafts, depicting them with lucid texts and vivid images. This book deserves to be a handbook for all who are interested in the Ottoman and Turkish history and art. Calligraphy, marbling, silver embossing, decorative beading, incrustation and many more are waiting to be discovered by avid readers.

Kusoglu is not only a celebrated scholar of art history who introduces the arts and culture of the Ottoman civilization to the contemporary audience, but he is also a master who personally executes the arts and crafts he writes about. Some know him as an in-layer of mother-of-pearl or silver; others know him as a jeweler, a metal sculptor, or graphic designer; others still know him as a brilliant master who brought a new dimension to the art of engraving. In this study, some of the author s beautiful silver works are presented along with those from the Ottoman period."