MEHMED SAID: ‘Berberzade” (d. 1774)

Mehmed Said was a native of Istanbul and resided in the Mahmutpasa district. He learned the art of calligraphy and received his icazet from Sekerzade Mehmed Effendi. He was a very prolific calligrapher. He died in 1192 H. (1774)

MUSTAFA: “Suyolcuzade Eyyubi” (d. 1685)

He was born in Istanbul, and was the grandfather of the Suyolcuzade Mehmed Necib who wrote a work entitled “Devha-tül Kuttab” on the subject of Turkish calligraphers.He learned the art of calligraphy and received his icazet from Dervish Ali “Birinci”, a pupil of Halid Erzrumi. He himself taught Hafiz Osman, one of his very numerous pupils. He flourished during the reign of Sultan Mehmed IV. He wrote some fifty copies of the Qur’an, a large number of En’ams, prayer books and Murak’kas. He died in 1097 H. (1685) and was buried in the Eyup cemetery.

Pupils of the master: Ömer b. İsmâil (ö. 1097/1686); Abdurrahman el-Müzehhib (1098/1687); Mehmed Azîzî b. Îsâ (ö. 1100/1689); Mehmed Enverî (ö. 1106/1694); Osman b. Ali (Hâfız) (ö. 1110/1742); Feyzullah b. Mehmed (ö. 1115/1703); Mehmed (ö. 1120/1708); Mustafa Salâtî (ö. 1120/1708); Ahmed (ö. 1120/1708); Abdullah b. hüseyin (ö. 1122/1710); Mustafa Hâfız (ö. 1128/1716); Şeyh Mehmed b. Ali b. Ahmed (ö. 1129/1717); İbrâhim Feyzî (ö. 1136/1724); Ali (ö. 1138/1725); Ebu Bekir b. Ahmed (ö. 11414/1729); Seyyid Abdülkâidr (ö. 1146/1733); Abdullah (ö. 1150/1737); Mehmed b. Ali (ö. 1159/1746); Ahmed b. Mahmûd, Ahmed b. İbrâhim.


Calligraphy by Suyolcuzâde Eyyûbî Mustafa. Photograph © (TİEM, nr. 2457)http://www.turkislamsanatlari.com

MUSTAFA: “Hacizade”

Hacizade Mustafa was born in Cengelkoy, but the dates of his birth and death are uncertain. In the “Hattatlar Seceresi” (Genealogy of Calligraphers) written by the calligrapher and court tutor Mehmet Vasfi Effendi he is mentioned as having received his icazet from Mustafazade Süleyman Effendi.

MUSTAFA KUTAHI: (d.1787)

As his name indicates he was born in Kütahya. He learned the art of calligraphy from Mustafazade Süleyman Effendi, a pupil of Ibrahim of Rhodes. He died in 1202 H.


A Work by Mustafa Kütahi. Medallions bearing the names of the Prophet Muhammad and God (Allah). Ottoman Empire, A.H. 1185 (1771/1772 C.E.). Gift of Blanche Wolf Kohn '08.

A Hilye-Serif by Mustafa Kutahi

MEHMED IZZET EFFENDI: (1841 - 1903)

Mehmed Izzet Effendi was born in Istanbul in 1257 H. We do not know from whom he received his icazet, but he is known to have written a very beautiful Thuluth and Naskhi and to have written the Rik’a script in a very pleasing style peculiar to himself. He taught writing in various schools including Galatasaray Lycee. Two of his books of calligraphy models for students have been published. The inscription on the dome of the German Fountain in Sultanahmet bears his signature. He died in 1320 and was buried in the Yahya Effendi cemetery in Besiktas/Istanbul.




A exercise of divani style by Mehmet Izzet Efendi. Photograph © http://www.hatsanat.org

Mustafa Izzet [Kadiasker] (1801 - 1876)

Mustafa Izzet was born in Tosya in 1216 H. After his father’s death he was sent to Istanbul. Happening to cath the attention of Sultan Mahmud II he was taken into the Saray, where he was trained and educated. He learned Thuluth and Naskhi from the calligrapher Mustafa Vasif Efendi and Ta’Iiq from Yesarizade Mustafa Izzet Effendi. 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 Qur’an, a number of Delails and En’ams, 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 Sefik Bey, Muhsinzade Abdullah, Vahdeti, Abdullah Zühdü, Kayiszade Osman, Arif of Carsamba, Mehmed Hilmi and Ilmi Effendi. He died in 1293 H. and was buried in the graveyard of the Kadiri Dergahi (dervish convent) in Tophane.

A Calligraphy by Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi. Its read: "Falaha hayrun hafizan ve hüve er hamürrahimiyn sadakallahülmuiyn"; "Allah en hayırlı koruyandır. O, merhametlilerin en merhametlisidir"

A Calligraphy by Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi. Its read: Allah, Muhammed, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hueseyin (the last for names are members of the prophets blessed family)

Photograph © antikmezat