The Saz Style and the Sultan's Court The year is 1580. A painter arrives in Istanbul from Tabriz, carrying the influence of the Safavid tradition into the heart of the Ottoman Empire. This is Veli Can, a man whose name would become synonymous with the saz style—a visual language defined by long, feathery, reed-like leaves that twist and coil across the page. Under the patronage of Sultan Murad III, this aesthetic reaches its peak. Vel…