Traditional Reverse Glass Painting Art in Konya

One of Konya's disappearing traditional crafts is reverse glass painting. Nevertheless, today there are artists who cater to collectors by recreating ancient examples with modern techniques. Reverse glass paintings often depict religious, literary, and social themes. 

They were displayed in homes, coffeehouses, mosques, and lodges for purposes such as attracting good fortune, warding off the evil eye, promoting fertility, or simply for decorative reasons. The popularity of reverse glass paintings surged in the late 19th century due to their affordability and ease of production. Until recently, artisans in Konya were actively involved in creating and selling these works.

Reverse glass painting is a significant branch of Turkish folk art. This art form saw considerable development in Turkey between the 19th and early 20th centuries and was generally well-received by the public due to its religious themes. 

These paintings were believed to offer protection against the malevolent gaze, diseases, and disasters, as well as to bring prosperity and abundance. Consequently, reverse glass paintings, along with lithographic wall panels, were commonly displayed on the walls of religious sites such as mosques, tekkes, tombs, coffeehouses, and various shops.

A key feature of Turkish glass paintings is the use of flat colors, lack of light or shadow, and thus the absence of volume effect on the figures. Texts and illustrated compositions were often embellished with large decorative flowers, flower bouquets, wreaths, geometric patterns, or borders of small flowers, and sometimes featured a curtain motif in various colors. 

The curtain motif was also a common element in European reverse glass paintings. Due to the Ottoman Empire's cultural exchanges with Western countries starting in the 18th century, the influences of Baroque and Rococo art are evident in Turkish art.