MEHMET TEVFİK ? – ?

We know neither the date of his birth nor the date of his death.






















Photograph © http://www.rportakal.com/. h.1328 (1910), Its read: “Ya Hazret-i Şeyh Sultan Seyyid Abdülkadir Geylani Kuddise Sırrıhü”, 46 x 34 cm.

Filibeli Bakkal Arif Efendi 1830 – 1909

Photograph © http://www.rportakal.com/. dated .1315 (1897). “Alem içre muteber bir nesne yok devlet gibi olmaya devlet cihanda bir nefes sıhhat gibi”, 52 x 86 cm.









A Celis-sülüs Hilya by the Calligrapher.

Hafiz Vahdetî (1832 -1896)

Photograph © http://www.rportakal.com. h.1282 (1865). It reads: “Allah”, “Ya Hazret-i Şeyh Seyyid Sadettin Cibavi” and Surah Ihlas . Halvetiye tarikati Cerrahi kolunun sikkesi, 74 x 59 cm.















Calligraphy by Hafiz Vahdeti





























































































































Photograph © http://www.rportakal.com. h.1282 (1865). It reads: “Allah”, “Ya Hazret-i Şeyh Seyyid Sadettin Cibavi” and Surah Ihlas . Halvetiye tarikati Cerrahi kolunun sikkesi, 74 x 59 cm.

Sultan ABDULMECID (1823 - 1861)

Abdülmecid learned the art of calligraphy and received his icazet from Mehmet Tahir Efendi, a faithful disciple and devoted pupil of Mahmud Celaleddin, the founder of his own individual school of calligraphy. Panels written by Abdülmecid in Thuluth and Jeli in the style of Celaleddin are to be found in several Istanbul mosques and museums, particularly in the mosques of Dolmabahce and Ortakoy. He died in 1861 at the age of thirty-eight.

Calligraphy by Sultan Abdulmeci I.

ABDULLAH: “Gabizade”

We know neither the date of his birth nor the date of his death, but in view of the fact that his teacher ibrahim Hanif, from whom he learned both Thuluth and Naskhi, died in 1189 H, (1771), he can be assumed to have lived in the twelfth century of the Hegira (eighteenth century A.D.).

ABDULLAH: Eseyyid Abdullah of Yedikule -1731

Abdullah of Yedikule was the favourite pupil of the celebrated calligrapher Hafiz Osman Efendi, and we know from the register of calligraphers that 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 Qur’ans 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 Effendi 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. He bid farewell to this transitory world in 1144 H.

ALI: “Ibrahimhanzade Ismail bin Ali” (d. 1164 H. - 1746 A.D.)

Ismail bin Ali was a native of Istanbul. He received his icazet in Thuluth and Naskhi from Hoca Mehmet Rasim Efendi of Egrikapi. He was also interested in Ta’Iiq script and took lessons from Katipzade Mehmet Refi Efendi. He died in 1164 H. and was buried in the cemetery at Eyup/Istanbul.

ALl: “Ali Efendi of Circir or Haydar” d. 1324 - 1906 A.D.)

Ali Effendi learned Thuluth and Jeli from Kazasker Mustafa Izzet’s favorite pupil Sefik Bey. He produced some very fine compositions and was one of the most highly regarded masters of the time, gaining very considerable renown.


Photograph © www.mackamezat.com









Photograph © www.mackamezat.com. dated h.1288. 31 x 54 cm

ARIF: ‘Haci Arif Bey of Carsamba” (d. 1892)

He was known as Haci Arif of Carsamba because he lived in that district of Istanbul. He learned Thuluth and Naskhi from Hasim Effendi, an apprentice of Mustafa Rakim, and Ta’liq from Kibrisizade Hakki and Melek Pasazade Ali Haydar Bey. Arif Bey displayed great skill in istifs and musennas in Jeli Thuluth. These exquisite works aroused great admiration and appreciation. Arif Bey was also a master of the tughra. He died in 1310 H. and was buried in the Yavedud cemetery near Eyup/Istanbul.

Sheikh HAMDULLAH: (1436 - 1520)

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-tül Kuttab”(paragon) of Turkish calligraphersIn 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 Qur’ans and innumerable En’ams, Evrads and Cuz. Topkapi Saray Museum contains two exquisite copies of the Qur’an.This great master of calligraphy died in 926 H. and was buried in the cemetery of Karacaahmet.

Calligraphy by Sheikh Hamdullah Efendi

HALIL MIR TEVKII

Halil Mir Tevkii was the son of one All Pasha. The dates of his birth and death are uncertain, but he is known to have lived during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I, to have learned calligraphy from Hüseyin Habli and to have been appointed to a position in the Saray.

Hattat Hocazade Hafız Mehmed Hulusi Yazgan (1285/6/1868/9 - 1358/1940)

Hulusi Effendi was born in Istanbul in 1285/6 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 Medresetül 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.


A Work by Hulusi Efendi

KAMIL EFFENDI: “Ahmet Kamil Akdik” (1880 - 1951)

Kamil Effendi was 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 Medrese-tul 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. and was buried in the cemetery at Eyup/Istanbul.

A portrait of the Calligrapher painted by Seref Akdik

Sultan Mahmud II (1784 - 1839)

Mahmud II was taught the art of calligraphy first by Gebecizade Mehmet Vasfi Efendi and later by Ustad Mustafa Rakim. He was particularly interested in Naskhi, Thuluth and Jell Thuluth. Several very fine panels written by Mahmud II in Jeli Thuluth are to be see in a number of Istanbul mosques and museums. He died in 1255 H.

Calligraphy by Sultan Mahmud II.

Calligraphy by Sultan Mahmud II.

A Calligraphy by Sultan Mahmud II in Bursa Ulucami.

MAHMUD CELALEDDIN (d. 1829)

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 Nashki 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/Istanbul.
Works of Calligraphy by the Calligrapher can be seen in the Türk Vakıf Hat Sanatları Müzesi in Istanbul.

A Calligraphy by Mahmud Celaleddin Efendi

A Calligraphy by the master. Its read: "Ya Hazret-i Muhammed Bahauddin Sah Naksbend (K.S.)

MEHMED: ‘Dervis Mehmed’ (d. 1483 H.)

Mehmed was the grandson of Mustafa Dede, the son of Sheikh Hamdullah. He learned the art of calligraphy from his father, from whom he also received his icazet. In Thuluth and Naskhi he imitated the style and character of the script used by his grandfather. He was buried near the grave of his grandfather in the cemetery of Karacaahmet/Istanbul.

MEHMED: “lmamzade” (d. 1751)

Mehmed was born in Besiktas in Istanbul. The cognomen “imamzade” indicates that his father was an imam. The works that have survived display great delicacy and finesse in the use of Naskhi script. He died in 1165 H.

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.

A Divani from: Hutut-i Osmaniye, Istanbul 1892, p. 51 by Mehmed Izzet Efendi (1841–1904).

A Celi Divani from: Hutut-i Osmaniye, Istanbul 1892, p. 51 by Mehmed Izzet Efendi (1841–1904).

German Fountain in Istanbul. Photograph © Senem Güdücüoglu

MEHMED “Sekerzade” (d. 1752)

Mehmed Sekerzade was born in Manisa, but the date of his birth is uncertain. He came to Istanbul and took lessons in Thuluth and Naskhi first from Abdullah Kirimi and later from Seyid Abdullah of Yedikule, from whom he received his icazet. An illuminated Quran written in the style of Sheikh Hamdullah was published by the Ministry of Education in 1312 H. (1888).

MEHMED: “Giridi” (d. 1751)

Mehmed Giridi was born in Crete and came to Istanbul to study the art of calligraphy He learned calligraphy and received his icazet from Hafiz Osman Effendi, and later engaged in discussions with the calligrapher small bin All of Agakapi on the subject of calligraphy. He died in 1165 H.