Portrait of a sultana, full-length, wearing nalins,
oil on canvas, 170 x 95.5 cm, framed

The present painting is an example of the portraits of imaginary sultanas that emerged in the mid-16th century, depicting women of the harem as individual figures, following a westernised ideal. The depicted female figure appears as a courtesan, dressed in a revealing green garment with a translucent gown and sleeves. With her curly and reddish-blonde, so-called Venetian blonde, hair, the representation of the courtesan corresponds to a Venetian ideal of beauty, especially following a female type created by Titian. The rose in her hand is a symbol of Venus and may also be a play on words identifying her as Rossa or Rosselana, the favourite wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

The sitter’s elevated social position is underlined by the precious jewellery and so-called nalins she wears. Known from Ottoman fashion, they were worn to protect feet and dresses from water and the heated floors in Turkish bathhouses. These shoes were often richly decorated with silver inlay, or mother-of-pearl and even gemstones, as here in the present painting. In addition to their practical use, they also had a symbolic meaning in Ottoman society: the different heights of the shoes were an indication of the social status of the wearer.

This type of shoe can also be found in late 16th century prints, such as Jean Jacques Boissard’s compendium of international dress, Habitus variarum orbis gentium, published in 1581. The shoe is closely related to the chopine worn in Venice in the 16th century, which also served to protect the wearer from the wet city calle, becoming symbols of luxury and nobility.

The trading connection between Venice and the Ottoman Empire had reached its peak during the 15th and 16th centuries, despite the rivalry which culminated in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. This connection by trade led to the fascination and subsequent depiction of Ottoman figures and customs in the visual imagery of Venice at the time.