Architecture of Confession: The Divan, from Ottoman Governance Space to the Analytic Essential Setting.

The divan is a piece of furniture with a rich history tracing back to the Middle East. Its initial concept was deeply linked to the political and social culture of the Ottoman Empire before evolving into the piece of furniture we know today.

Origin of the Name and Concept

The term “divan” comes from the Persian and Arabic word diwan, whose central idea is “meeting” or “assembly.”

Original Meaning: The Diwan or Divan was the hall or place where the council of the Ottoman Sultan, the court, or the assembly would meet to discuss matters of state (such as the Diwan-ı Hümayun, the Imperial Council).

Transformation into Furniture: By extension, the name came to designate the low, padded seats arranged along the walls of this hall, which were used for rest and meetings.

The Divan in the Ottoman Era (13th – 20th Centuries)

The concept of the divan as furniture became established in modern-day Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, reflecting the Eastern custom of sitting or reclining on the floor.

Description of the Original Ottoman Divan

Feature

Basic Design: A long, low seat, often formed by one or more mattresses placed directly against the wall or on a low frame.

Structure: Typically without structured backrests or armrests and without high legs (unlike the Western version).

Comfort: Padded surface covered with luxurious fabrics, complemented by many loose cushions and pillows for back support and reclining.

Function: Reclining seat, a type of informal bed or sofa, fundamental in aristocratic lounges and palaces for resting, socializing, and meetings (underscoring its political and social importance).

Note: The concept of the ottoman—a type of low, upholstered sofa or stool, often without a backrest or arms, which in the West became a footrest or extra seat—emerged from these seats.

Diffusion to the West and Use in Romanticism

The furniture was introduced to Europe, especially in France, starting in the 18th century, driven by the European fascination with Turkish culture and the Middle East.

European Adaptation: It was modified: made lower, with legs added, and incorporating upholstery and sometimes a low backrest, giving rise to the version known today as a sofa or canapé.

Popularity: It was particularly fashionable between 1820 and 1850, adorning dressing rooms and coffee houses (where they were called “Turkish divans”) and associated with the Romantic literary movement.

The Divan in Freud’s Psychoanalysis

In the late 19th century, the divan acquired a new symbolism when Sigmund Freud incorporated it into his practice.

Freud’s Specific Divan: It was a European-style piece of furniture (a chaise longue or daybed) gifted to him by a patient. Although Western, Freud covered it with a heavy Persian or Arabic rug and cushions with an exotic touch.

Technical and Symbolic Use: Freud adopted the divan for specific reasons in the development of psychoanalysis:

Fostering Free Association: By lying down and eliminating eye contact with the analyst, the patient felt more relaxed and less inhibited for spontaneous expression.

Focus on the Psychic: Being reclined, without muscular tension, helped the patient’s attention settle on their inner world.

Freud’s Personal Comfort: Freud himself mentioned that he could not tolerate the patient’s gaze during the long hours of daily work.

Today, the term “divan” is generally used to refer to a type of sofa, often low or one that serves as a sofa-bed, and it retains its association with rest and introspection.

But don’t you find it very curious? that the word itself has had many meanings, but that as time went by, usage and custom kept changing the Divan into something commonplace, and that now, truthfully, you can easily get and use it.