AMSTERDAM.- In observance of the 400-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum presents two special exhibitions. OTTOMANIA: The Turkish world through Western eyes presents the Turkey of old, depicted in over 35 special prints from the Rijksmuseum collection. The presentation Ahmet Polat: Modern Turkey paints a picture of Turkey today, with 10 impressive portraits of young Dutch-born Turkish people, trying their luck in Turkey.

OTTOMANIA. The Turkish world through Western eyes (1500-1750)
7 March – 7 May 2012
With OTTOMANIA, the Rijksmuseum shows how the Turkish world of the 16th to 18th centuries was seen through Western eyes. Exotic travel stories, exquisite costume books, and prints by artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt and Tiepolo demonstrate the fascination of artists with charming Eastern figures and oriental attire, although the powerful Ottoman Empire also instilled fear and inspired awe. In addition to well-known masterpieces, various new discoveries and acquisitions are also on display, including a unique 16th-century etching of Turkish oil wrestlers. A number of pithy cartoons also depict the often strained relations between the Ottoman empire and the West. The presentation consists of over 35 prints and illustrated books.

Ahmet Polat, Modern Turkey
7 March – 7 May 2012
As part of a commission by the Rijksmuseum, internationally renowned photographer Ahmet Polat (b. Roosendaal, 1978, of a Dutch mother and a Turkish father) followed the lives of educated Dutch-born Turkish young people seeking their fortunes in Turkey. Most of the young ‘re-migrants’ succeed in making a career for themselves in Turkey, but for some the cultural differences prove insurmountable. Polat made portraits of some of these people, including young and successful fashion designer Deniz Karaman (26), and pharmaceutical assistant Miyase Yazici (26). Ahmet Polat’s photographs have been published in many national and international magazines and newspapers. Starting 7 March, 10 portraits by Polat will be on display in the Rijksmuseum. This exhibition is sponsored by Fonds 1975 (part of the Rijksmuseum Fund).