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Ibn Muqla
(9th-10th century)
It was in the 3rd century AH (9th-10th century CE) that the master
calligrapher Ibn Muqla perfected his theory of "proportioned script"
(al-Khatt al-Mansoub), by which the basic letter-shapes of written
Arabic could be controlled. Ibn Muqla's work was a major milestone in
the history of Arabic penmanship. The principles he laid down
transformed Arabic script from rudimentary Kufic strokes to a
harmoniously structured art form. The order and beauty which Ibn Muqla
devised as visual criteria for the formation of Arabic letter-shapes
constituted, first and foremost, an act of worship. The art form into
which he converted the execution of written Arabic was one considered
truly compatible with preserving and conveying the Word of God as
revealed in the Holy Quran.
The detail and order which Ibn Muqla brought to Arabic script extended
to the reed pen which, according to his teachings, must be cut in a
special, clearly delineated way. For over ten centuries, Arabic
calligraphers continued to cut their pens and execute the formal
strokes, curves, and dots of written Arabic according to Ibn Muqla's
precepts.
Ibn Bawwab
(9th-10th century)
He was known also under the name of Ibn al-Sitri, famous calligrapher of
the Buwayhid period who died in Baghdad in 1022. He frequented the
governmental circles of the period, as he was closely attached to the
vizier Fakhr al Mulk Abu Ghalib Muhammad b. Khalaf at Baghdad and was
for some time in charge of the library of Buwayhid Baha al-Dawla at
Shiraz.
He was also an illuminator (at least one outstanding example of his work
surviving), a devout man who knew the Quran by heart and is said to have
reproduced sixty-four copies of it, and a man of letters who was well
versed in the law and who wrote a treatise and a didactic poem on the
art of writing.
His real claim to fame, however, according to the early Arab authors,
was to have perfected the style of writing invented, about a century
earlier, by his famous predecessor, the vizier Ibn Muqla and to
have brought it to a degree of well-balanced elegance which was to be
surpassed later only by the efforts of Yaqut al-Mustasimi. It
nevertheless seems likely that we are today in a position to evaluate
the calligraphy of Ibn Bawwab through the unique example of it in a
Quran in the Chester Beatty Library (MS K. 16), signed by Ibn Bawwab and
dated 391/1000-1, whose calligraphy is as splendid as its illuminations.
Yaqut el-Mustasimi
(12th-13th century)
He was the court calligrapher of Al-Mustasim Billah, the last Caliph
among the Abbasids acquired great fame. He was one of the greatest
masters of cursive calligraphy and a script called Yaquri derived its
name from him. Two Quran copies written by him in 1290 and 1291 are
still extant and exhibit the stiff Naskhi of the later Persian period.
Yaqut's signature is written in a kind of Suls. One of his students was
Ergun Kamili.
Ahmad ibn al-Suhrawardi al-Bakri
(1290-1320)
He was one of the six celebrated disciples of Yaqut al-Mustasimi, the
greatest master of cursive calligraphy. He copied the Holy Quran in
Muhakkak script.
Mohammed Ibn-Wahid
(13th century)
Ergun Kamili
(13th century)
He was one of the six celebrated disciples of Yaqut al-Mustasimi, and he
is renowned for his skill in Reyhani style.
Abdullah al-Sayrafi
(13th century)
He was among master calligraphers that contributed significantly to the
production of fine copies of the Quran in Rayhani and Thuluth scripts.
Sheikh Hamdullah
(1436-1520)
Mohammed al-Tayyibi
(15th century)
The great master of calligraphy Sheikh Hamdullah was born in Amasya in
840 H. He founded his own individual school of calligraphy and was
generally known as "Kible-tul Kuttab" (paragon) of Turkish calligraphers
In the section dealing with the history of calligraphy we have already
mentioned how he came to Istanbul and was appointed teacher of
calligraphy in the Palace's school by Sultan Bayezid II. Here we shall
confine ourselves to a brief account of the great changes he brought
about in the art of calligraphy.
Sheikh Hamdullah developed the Thuluth and Naskhi scripts, which have
survived with very little change to the present day, from the Muhakkak
and Tevki scripts, which up to that time had been written in the style
of Yakut. He devoted his whole life to the art of calligraphy, producing
forty-seven Qurans and innumerable En'ams, Evrads and Cuz. Topkapi Saray
Museum contains two exquisite copies of the Quran. This great master of
calligraphy died in 926 H. and was buried in the cemetery of Karacaahmet.
Ahmed Karahisari
(15th century)
The Calligraphic Art of Ahmed Karahisari reached a perfect balance
between elegance and clarity, and was so personal that it could always
be recognized, He gained fame and glory throughout the Islamic World
during the reign of Sulayman the Magnificent, who called him to decorate
his famous Sulayman Mosque with the Holy Scriptures, and commissioned
him a superb Quran for his personal prayers, which is now reproduced in
Turkey. One of his copies of the Holy Quran is considered one of the
masterpieces of Islamic Art, both for the Calligraphy and for the
illuminations which ornate every page.
He was the only calligrapher to keep the Yaqut style alive,
simultaneously carving out a unique place for himself under the
influence of his teacher Esedullah Kirmani.
Hafiz Osman Effendi
(1642-1698)
Born in Istanbul and studied calligraphy under the master calligrapher
Dervish All and later under Suyolcuzade Eyyubi Mustafa, from whom he
received his icazet. Hafiz Osman was a brilliant calligrapher who
succeeded in investing the script originally employed by Sheikh
Hamdullah with a new elegance, and thus became known as "Seyh-i Sani",
the second Sheikh. He had a large number of pupils, one of the most
outstanding being the calligrapher Ismail bin All Agakapi. He died in
1110 H. and was buried in the graveyard belonging to the Sünbül Dergah
(dervish convent) in Kocamustafa.
Abdullah of Yedikule
(1739)
Abdullah of Yedikule was the favorite pupil of the celebrated
calligrapher Hafiz Osman, he received his icazet in 1102 H. He achieved
great beauty and perfection in his use of Thuluth and Naskhi and was
awarded both praise and protection by Sultan Ahmed Ill. He produced
twenty-four Qurans as well as a number of Enams, Evrads, Kit'as,
Murak'kas and Hilye-i Serifs. He had a large number of pupils. Most of
his works are preserved in the Nuruosmaniye Library. Abdullah was
greatly loved and admired by his teacher. He used the name Seyyid to
indicate that he was descended from the family of the Prophet.
Mustafa Rakim
(1757 - 1826)
Mustafa Rakim occupies a most important place in the history of Turkish
calligraphy. He was born in Unye in 1171 H. His elder brother was the
famous calligrapher Zühdü, who brought Mustafa to Istanbul while still a
small child. Rakim learned the art of calligraphy from Ahmet Hifzi of
Fethiye and his brother small Zühdü, and received his icazet at the age
of twelve. He was also a painter. He was appointed teacher of
calligraphy in the Saray school, one of his pupils there being Sultan
Mahmud II, who accorded him very great praise and appreciation.
He had a very distinctive style in Jeli Thuluth, remarkable for its
softness, elegance and movement. His works are greatly admired by
calligraphers and connoisseurs of the art. His compositions include the
frieze inscription in the Nusretiye Mosque at Tophane and the
inscriptions on the tomb and fountain of Mahmud Ii's mother Naksidil
Sultan. The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts contains a very fine
Hilye.
Mustafa Rakim was responsible for the definitive form acquired by the
tughra, or Imperial monogram. The form of the tughra he composed for
Mahmud II was adopted by all succeeding Sultans, changes being made only
in the actual name from which the tughra was composed. The tughras to be
seen on late Ottoman coins and on the fermans of the later Sultans were
all in the form composed by Rakim. He was also responsible for a number
of Ta'Iiq inscriptions on fountains and tombstones. He died in 1241 H.
and was buried near the Atik All Mosque in Karagümrük. His wife had a
tomb built over his grave and a Madrasa constructed beside it.
Mahmud Celaleddin
(.... - 1824)
His date of birth is uncertain but he is known to have been born in
Daghistan and to have arrived in Istanbul with his father Sheikh Murad
Effendi at a very early age. Although his interest in calligraphy led
him to apply to several calligraphers for lessons he was of such a
difficult disposition that no one would accept him as a pupil and he was
obliged to teach himself the art of calligraphy by examining
calligraphic models and karalamas by the great masters.
In Naskhi he followed Hafiz Osman while in Thuluth and Jeli he created
an individual style of his own. His wife Esma Ibret Hanim was also a
calligrapher of great merit. He died in 1245 H. and was buried in the
cemetery of the Sheikh Murad Tekke (dervish lodge) at Eyup.
Esma Ibret Hanim
(18th century)
She was a calligrapher of great merit and the wife of calligrapher
Mahmud Celaleddin.
Mustafa Izzet
(1801 - 1876)
Learned Thuluth and Naskhi from the calligrapher Mustafa Vasif and
Ta'Iiq from Yesarizade Mustafa Izzet. He received an icazet from both
his teachers. He had a very fine voice and also practiced music. He was
appointed to the Saray imamlik during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid.
He produced eleven copies of the Quran, a number of Delails and Al-Anaams,
some two hundred Hilyes and a number of panels in a very fine Naskhi in
the style of Hafiz Osman. He was responsible for the large round panels
in the Ayasofya Museum.
He had a large number of pupils, and trained some very fine
calligraphers including Mehmed Sefik Bey, Muhsinzade Abdullah, Abdulahad
Vahdeti, Abdullah Zühdü, Kayiszade Osman Nuri, Arif of Carsamba, Mehmed
Hilmi and Ilmi .
Abdullah Zühdü
(18th century)
Mehmed Sefik Bey
(18th century)
Kayiszade Osman Nuri
(18th century)
Abdulahad Vahdeti Effendi
(18th century)
Abdullfettah
(1814 - 1896)
Born on the island of Chios in 1230 H. He was brought to Istanbul at a
very early age and educated under the patronage of Husrev Pasha. He
learned Thuluth, Jeli and Naskhi from calligrapher Mustafa Sakir Effendi
and received his Icazet in 1847. He was employed first in the
Secretariat of the Grand Vizier and subsequently in various government
posts in Anatolia.
In 1857 he was appointed designer of coins in the Imperial Mint, and was
sent to Vienna and Paris for further professional training. He died in
Vanikoy in 1314 H. and was buried in the garden belonging to the tomb of
Sultan Mahmud.
Ali of Circir (Haydar Bey)
(1324 H - 1906 AD)
Learned Thuluth and Jeli from Mustafa Izzet's favorite pupil Mehmed
Sefik Bey. He produced some very fine compositions and was one of the
most highly regarded masters of the time, gaining very considerable
renown.
Yahya Hilmi
(1833 - 1909)
He was born in Istanbul in 1249 H. He learned the art of calligraphy
from Hasim Effendi, a pupil of Rakim, and Halil Zühdü Effendi. His
Thuluth, and more particularly his Naskhi, were remarkable for their
perfection of style and attractive appearance. The Museum of Turkish and
Islamic Arts contains a very large-scale Quran. He was a very rapid
writer. This great calligrapher died in 1325 H. and was buried in the
graveyard of Selimiye Mosque.
Sami Effendi
(1837 - 1914)
Born in Istanbul in 1253 H. He was the son of Mahmud Effendi the
Yorgancilar Kethüdasi (Head of the Quilt-Makers). He learned Ta'Iiq from
Kibrisizade Ismail Hakki Effendi and Ali of Circir (Haydar Bey), and
Thuluth from Bosnak Osman Effendi; In Jeli script he was a close
follower of Mustafa Rakim, whom he rivaled in excellence.
A number of fine very inscriptions and istifs by this calligrapher can
be seen on various mosques and fountains in Istanbul. He trained some
very fine calligraphers, including Necmeddin Effendi and Kamil (Akdik)
Effendi. He died in 1330 H. and was buried in the cemetery belonging to
the Fatih Mosque.
A number of fine very inscriptions and istifs by this calligrapher can
be seen on various mosques, fountains, etc. in Istanbul. He trained some
very fine calligraphers, including Necmeddin Effendi and Kamil (Akdik)
Effendi. He died in 1330 H. and was buried in the cemetery belonging to
the Fatih Mosque.
Mehmed Nazif Bey
(1846 - 1914)
A native of Ruscuk, and was born in 1262 H. He entered the Saray school
at an early age, and there he learned the art of calligraphy from
Vahdeti Effendi of Burdur, a pupil of Abdullah Zühdü. He later studied
Ta'Iiq under Sami Effendi, from whom he received his icazet.
After leaving the Saray school he spent many years as calligrapher in
the Cartography Department of the Erkan-i Harbiye-i Umumiye (Army
General Staff). He had a very fine command of Thuluth, Jeli and Naskhi,
and displayed great skill in the use of Ta'Iiq. Nazif Bey died in 1331
H. and was buried in the graveyard belonging to the Yahya Effendi Dergah
(dervish convent) in Besiktas.
Hassan Riza
(1849 - 1920)
Born in Usküdar in 1265 H. He earned the art of calligraphy from Yahya
Hilmi, one of the secretaries in the Ministry of War, and later from
Mehmed Sefik Bey, from whom he received his icazet. He was one of the
most prolific of Turkish calligraphers. He produced nineteen copies of
the Quran as well as a large number of Hilyes, Kit'as and Murak'kas.
He held the post of Imperial main and teacher of calligraphy. He also
worked as a teacher of Thuluth and Naskhi in the Madrasa Hattatin. He
died in 1338 H. and was buried in the cemetery at Rumeli Hisar. His
Naskhi script was particularly beautiful.
Kamil Akdik
(1862–1941)
Born in Istanbul in 1278 H. He learned Thuluth and Naskhi from the great
calligrapher Sami Effendi, from whom he also received his icazet. He
later learned from the same teacher the art of the tughra and Divani
script. He held the post of teacher of writing in the Divan-i Hümayun
Kalemi (Secretariat of the Imperial Chancery).
In 1914 he was appointed teacher of Thuluth and Naskhi in the Madrasa
Hattatin, in 1918 teacher of writing in Galatasaray Lycee and in 1936
teacher of calligraphy in the Academy of Fine Arts. He was twice invited
to Egypt, where he left a considerable number of very fine works. He
died in 1360 H.
Mehmed Hulusi Effendi
(1869 - 1940)
Born in Istanbul in 1286 H. He learned Ta'liq from Haci Arif Bey of
Carsamba and Sami Effendi, and Thuluth and Naskhi from Muhsinzade
Abdullah Bey. He was teacher of writing in Darüssafaka Lycee and the
Madrasa Hattatin.
Hulusi Effendi was one of the greatest Turkish masters of Ta'Iiq and
Ta'liq Jeli. He spent his whole life, however, in financial distress and
poverty. He died in 1358 H. The recent calligraphers Halim Ozyazici and
Kemal Batanay were two of his most distinguished pupils.
Necmeddin Okyay
(1883-1976)
Attended the Ravzai Terakki school, where he received lessons in
calligraphy from Mehmed Sevki and from Hassan Tal’at Bey. In 1905 he
received permission to write in the ta’liq style from Sami (1838–1912)
and in 1906 received permission for the Thuluth and Naskh styles from
Bakkal Arif. Later, at the School of Calligraphers, he learnt to draw
tughras and practiced Jali-Thuluth (Turk. celi-sülüs) with Ismail Hakki
Altinbezer (1870–1946). He also learnt from Shaykh Ethem the art of
marbled paper, at which he became very skilful. His use of the surname
Okyay came from his proficiency at archery.
He succeeded his father as preacher and Imam at the Yeni cami mosque at
Üsküdar in Istanbul, where he remained for 40 years. He taught at the
School of Calligraphers, the Oriental Decorative Arts School and finally
at the Academy of Fine Arts in Istanbul, where he practiced the ta’liq
style with his pupils.
In addition to writing, he explored many crafts and skills related to
calligraphy. From Baha he learnt the art of Turkish classical
bookbinding and made fine sunburst bindings, and in turn trained Emin
Barin (b 1913) and Islam Seçen in this art.
He also learnt how to polish paper, developed formulae for preparing
different varieties of ink and was skilled at identifying unsigned works
of calligraphy. Among his pupils was the calligrapher Ali Alparslan (b
1925)
Deli Omer
(19th century)
Aziz
(19th century)
Neyzen Emin Yazici
(19th century)
Tugrakes Ismail Hakki
(19th century)
Mustafa Halim Ozyazici
(19th century)
Mahmud Yazir
(19th century)
Hamid Aytac
(20th century)
A Turkish calligrapher Originally known as "Musa Azmi", he was the
grandson of Seyyid Adem, a famous calligrapher of Diyarbakir. He
practiced writing in Diyarbakir with his school teacher Mustafa Akif
Tütenk and others, and in 1908 went to Istanbul to continue his
education, first at the School of Law and then at the Fine Arts Academy.
However, he was soon forced to give up his studies to earn a living and
in 1910 he became a writing teacher at the Gülsen school in Istanbul,
where he taught the calligrapher Halim Özyazici. He went on to direct
the Rusumat press and then worked at the press of the Military Academy
in Istanbul. During World War I he worked for one year in Germany, where
he prepared military maps. After the war he resigned his job and began
to work independently.
He changed his name to Hamid Aytaç, and in the early years of the
Turkish republic made labels and calling cards. As a calligrapher he
practiced the Jali-Thuluth (Turk. celi-sülüs) style with Mehmed Nazif
Bey (1846–1914), the Naskh and Thuluth styles with Kamil Akdik
(1862–1941) and the Ta'liq style with Mehmed Hulusi (1869–1940). He
worked on a number of magnificent manuscripts, including Qurans. He also
worked at the Sisli Mosque in Istanbul and on other buildings in
Istanbul and Ankara.
Ali Alparslan
(20th century)
Ali Alparslan and his students are instrumental in keeping the ta’liq
script alive. There are also many artists in Anatolia who are
calligraphers.
Hassan Celebi
(20th century)
Born, born 1937 in Erzurum, Turkey is a world-renowned Turkish master of
Arabic calligraphy and has devoted his whole life to calligraphy. He is
an internationally recognized artist with his mosque inscriptions,
special writings and exhibitions. Çelebi’s calligraphies are decorating
mosques in many countries. In Turkey, the restored inscriptions of the
Blue Mosque in Istanbul and the inscriptions of the Masjid within the
parliament building in Ankara are some of his works.
Today, Celebi has ten corresponding students from all around the world.
Students from Morocco, Tunisia, the United States, Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia are sending their work for correction to him. Even a prince of
Jordan is among them. Women are more than men interested in calligraphy
in Turkey. Celebi has 25 female students, but he says, "Calligraphy is a
man’s job. Because, it requires long and hard training." Since women
will have duties as mother at home after marriage, they do not have the
time and the calm hand needed for this very fine art. In calligraphy,
the very first lesson takes six months and the "icazet" six to eight
years.
30 calligraphers were awarded "icazet" from Celebi, among them 10 are
international, ranging from the United States to Japan. His student
Mohammed Zakariya, a famous American master calligrapher lectures in the
USA and in the Middle East.
Husseyin Oksuz
(20th century)
Savas Cevik
(20th century)
Huseyin Gunduz
(20th century)
Mehmed Ozcay
(20th century)
Born in 1961 in Trabzon, Turkey, Ozcay developed an interest in the art
of calligraphy at a very young age. In 1982, he started his formal
training with Fouad Bashar. He soon held exhibitions in Istanbul
organized by Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA).
He was invited by the Prince of Wales's Institute to exhibit his works
in London.
Mehmed & Osman Ozcay, the "Ozcay-brothers" are well-known in Turkey as
the masters of calligraphy and their sister Fatima has earned
recognition in illumination which enhances and complements calligraphy.
Mehmed is much into classical calligraphy and specializes in Naskh,
Thuluth and Diwani script. His works is distinguished by the extreme
cleanliness of the sheet and the choice of ink that he uses. Ozcay's
message to budding calligraphers is quite research, and examine closely
the works of the master calligrapher.
Mohammed Zakariya
(20th century)
An Islamic calligrapher, artist and maker of custom instruments from the
history of science. Born in California, he began the study of Islamic
calligraphy in Tangier and London in 1964. In 1984, he was invited by
the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture in Istanbul to
study with the celebrated Turkish calligraphers Hassan Celebi and Ali
Alparslan.
Zakariya holds prized diplomas in sûlûs-nesih and Ta'liq scripts. His
work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the world
and he has presented numerous workshops and lectures on Islamic
calligraphy, and his calligraphic works have been exhibited widely. In
USA his work has been shown at the Smithsonian Institution's Renwick
Gallery and S. Dillon Ripley Center and at the Klutznick National Jewish
Museum in Washington, D.C.. He has also shown his calligraphy and given
demonstrations in conjunction with Islamic art exhibits at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Walters Gallery in
Baltimore." In September 2005 he presented a free public lecture and a
calligraphy lesson at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
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