Fabulous jewels, paintings, costumes, and other precious arti-facts from the heyday of the Ottoman Empirewere on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, where the opening of "Palace of Gold and Light: Treasuresfrom Topkapi, Istanbul" was celebrated with two major events in March. The official preview party hostedby the gallery and the government of Turkey was an invitation-only affair where trustees, benefactors,and press mingled with guests invited by Turkish Ambassador Baki Ilkin. A few days later, the Friends ofthe Corcoran had their own celebration, transforming the gallery’s august atrium into a Turkish bazaar,complete with Turkish delicacies, Middle Eastern music, elaborately costumed dancers, fortune tellers, amagical mystery game, and a silent auction of treasures. Proceeds from this year’s fundraiser willbenefit both the Corcoran’s education and exhibition programs, and help provide much-needed scholarshipsfor children orphaned by the recent earthquakes in Turkey.

The Turkish Minister of Culture Istemihan Talay flew from Istanbul with the famousemerald-encrusted dagger (the chief quest of the robbers in the film "Topkapi") neverleaving his lap for a single minute on the plane.

Click on the Photo for More Great Pictures! Tommy Quinn