Learning the ancient art of Ebru in Istanbul

This traditional marbling is more meditation than artform, finds Punita Malhotra

The ancient art of Ebru (Punita Malhotra)

Peering at the framed artefact, I ask: “Is that paper or marble?” “Both,” the tour guide smiles at my intrigued expression. “This is an ancient specimen of Turkish marbled paper called Ebru. Calligraphers used to inscribe elaborate patterns like these on books, imperial decrees and government documents to prevent duplication and tampering.”

My curiosity is piqued.

Quizzing continues while we drift through the dazzling Iznik tile-clad halls of the Topkapi Palace. I trace visions of a centuries-old art that travelled from Turkestan to Ottoman lands via the Silk Road and visualise master marblers and amateur apprentices devoting years to perfecting secret skills. I follow its reinvention as decorative art, believed to have inspired iconic European motifs such as the French Snail, the Spanish Wave, the Italian Vein and the Chevron. We discuss Ebru’s journey from esoteric to voguish, thanks to a listing on the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the fame of international celebrity artists such as Garip Ay and a burgeoning community of connoisseurs. And I learn that a capsule course on Turkish marbling in the heart of old Istanbul is no pipe dream for a wannabe designer or a newbie fan.