Review of Architecture and the Late Ottoman Historical Imaginary: Reconfiguring the Architectural Past in a Modernizing Empire, by Ahmet A. Ersoy (original) (raw)

Review of Architecture and the Late Ottoman Historical Imaginary by Ahmet A. Ersoy examines the architectural developments during the Tanzimat period of the late Ottoman Empire, focusing on the complex interplay between indigenous revivalist architecture and European Orientalist influences. The study argues that the architectural response was shaped by a romanticized yearning for the past, seeking to establish a culturally autonomous identity while engaging in a dialogue with European discourses. Through a careful analysis of selected case studies, Ersoy enriches our understanding of late Ottoman visual culture and its broader implications across various interdisciplinary fields.