Turkish Plastic Arts by Ayla ERSOY REPUBLIC OF TURKEY MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM PUBLICATIONS © Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism General Directorate of Libraries and Publications 3162 Handbook Series 3 ISBN: 978-975-17-3372-6 www.kulturturizm.gov.tr e-mail: [email protected] Ersoy, Ayla Turkish plastic arts / Ayla Ersoy.- Second Ed. Ankara: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2009. 200 p.: col. ill.; 20 cm.- (Ministry of Culture and Tourism Publications; 3162.Handbook Series of General Directorate of Libraries and Publications: 3) ISBN: 978-975-17-3372-6 I. title. II. Series. 730,09561 Cover Picture Hoca Ali Rıza, İstambol voyage with boat Printed by Fersa Ofset Baskı Tesisleri Tel: 0 312 386 17 00 Fax: 0 312 386 17 04 www.fersaofset.com First Edition Print run: 3000. Printed in Ankara in 2008. Second Edition Print run: 3000. Printed in Ankara in 2009. *Ayla Ersoy is professor at Dogus University, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 Sources of Turkish Plastic Arts 5 Westernization Efforts 10 Sultans’ Interest in Arts in the Westernization Period 14 I ART OF PAINTING 18 The Primitives 18 Painters with Military Background 20 Ottoman Art Milieu in the Beginning of the 20th Century. 31 1914 Generation 37 Galatasaray Exhibitions 42 Şişli Atelier 43 The First Decade of the Republic 44 Independent Painters and Sculptors Association 48 The Group “D” 59 The Newcomers Group 74 The Tens Group 79 Towards Abstract Art 88 Calligraphy-Originated Painters 90 Artists of Geometrical Non-Figurative Style 93 Lyric Abstract 99 Abstraction from Nature 104 Figurative Abstraction 107 Return to Figurative Art in 1970s 115 Personal and Symbolic Expressions 123 A Photorealist Painter 141 Minimalists 142 Conceptual Art 143 Authentic Typographic Painting 147 II ART OF SCULPTURE 150 Sculpture in Anatolia 150 Sculpture in the Ottomans 150 Sculpture in the Republican Period 151 Classical Figurative Sculpture 153 Expressionist Sculpture 157 Abstract Sculpture 160 III ART OF CERAMIC 176 SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER 189 Art and Sculpture Museums in Turkey 189 NOTE ON USAGE 196 BIBLIOGRAPHY 197 INTRODUCTION Sources of Turkish Plastic Arts The first examples of Turkish plastic arts were created by the Uyghurs in Central Asia. Initial sources of Turkish plastic arts are the murals and few miniature examples at the Murtuk, Bezeklik, Khocho and Sorchuk ruins dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries, which were created under the influences of Buddhism and Manichaeism. In these paintings, various human figures such as priests, aristocrats, fund builders and musicians are accommodated. In the animal figures like horses or dragons, there is slightly more moving and realistic style rather than symmetric sequences of human figures. The most distinctive characteristic of these dark blue and red colored paintings is their particularity on details. The Uyghurs, painting, which created a strong painting tradition, was influenced from the Chinese arts. Bright colors, linear and detailed concept which combined with symmetric sequential compositions have made its own style. Its white and round faced Turkish figures with almond-shaped eyes have also influenced Turkish miniature arts for years. In Samaria, which was the capital of Abbasid caliphate founded in Persia, Uyghur Turks were employed and all kinds of paintings and calligraphies were made by them. Leşker-i Bazaar Palace of the Ghaznevids, built in 1036, has many similarities with Bezeklik frescos on its multi-colored murals. The art works of the Seljuks, who ruled on Turkistan, Khorasan, Persia, Syria and Anatolia from the 9th to the 14th century, were influenced by the native arts of these regions and the orders of Islam. 12th century Seljuk miniatures and the Ilkhanid, Mongolian and Timurid miniatures that were made in Tabriz, Shiraz and Herat schools were the main sources that helped the Turkish plastic arts to foster. Daily life, clothing, war and hunt scenes and that time’s literary works were depicted in miniatures in accordance with the Uyghurs’ painting tradition. One of the sources of Turkish plastic arts is the paintings that were made on roll of paper by Turkish artist called Mehmed Siyah Kalem of Uzbek. Priests and dervishes of Turk, Mongol, Black People, shamans, Buddhists and Nasturi, people from different - 5 - classes, nomads, poor or rich, imaginary fairies, giants and demons were painted in an unusual way, different than the aesthetics of miniature. They were created with a realistic approach based on the art of steppes. In the early 15th century, the paintings of Mehmed Siyah Kalem were brought to Topkapı Palace during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmed. The development of Turkish plastic arts in Anatolia is seen on the little number of miniatures in books, which managed to survive so far. Varka and Gülşah miniatures of the Anatolian Seljuk period are connected to Turkish life with the subjects of tent life, burial ceremonies, and entertainment, and they are connected to Persian architecture with their architectural elements. On some other miniatures, astrological information, magic methods, strange creature depictions, various imaginary birds, poly armed and headed angels, city and castle depictions can be found. They also reflect the influences of Uyghur arts and Buddhism. The multi- colored animals, human and legendary beast figures, plant motives and intertwined geometrical patterns on the miniature tiles which were found during the excavations of Beyşehir Kubadabad Palace also provide us information on the Anatolian Seljuk’s art of painting. In depictions that were made on ceramic, stone, wooden and metal objects, there can be found sitting, hunting, and instrument playing and fighting human figures along with fantastic creatures like siren, gryphon, dragon, winged lion and angels. Animal figures maintained their symbolic meanings in the Central Asian Turkish arts, and they are shown while fighting. Among them, double headed eagle figure has a distinct place as the emblem of sultans, which is used as a totem symbolizing the power in Central Asian Turkish beliefs. When we look at Anatolian Seljuk art of depiction, we can see that different beliefs, life styles, religious doctrines and sanctions, which Turks added into their cultures for centuries beginning from the time they lived in the Central Asia, also constituted the most important sources in shaping their arts. This background is obviously noticed in Anatolia. The prohibition of depiction in Islam, which was tried to be overcome by animal figures with - 6 - iconographic meanings such as lions, falcons, rams and deers, the orientation towards stylization and geometric adornments also became inevitable. The Anatolian art of the Seljuks’ Period stemmed from the influences of the local arts, the traveler artisans who visited Anatolia and the art of Eastern Roman Empire’s Palace. Besides, the experimental works of Turkish beyliks in Anatolia such as Danişmentliler, Mengücükler, Artuklular, Saltuklular, Menteşoğulları, Eşrefoğulları, Karamanlılar, Germiyanlılar, Saruhanoğulları and Aydınoğulları should not be underestimated as a source of Turkish plastic arts. These experimental arts created the essentials of Ottoman arts. Ottoman miniature style maintained the Middle Asian Turkish person type and its linear style; and gained a peculiar classical miniature style in time. Turkish miniatures of the Ottoman period continuously lived for four hundred years with a rich variety of topics, along with different trends, and through continuously renewing itself. It possessed a very special state in the overall Islamic art of painting. Ottoman miniature works continued to be produced from the 15th century to the early 19th century on a steady fashion through accommodating itself to the artistic trends and tastes of the time. In Ottoman Turks, the first examples of miniature were produced under the patronage of Fatih Sultan Mehmed (1432-1481). Sultan Mehmed was also interested in the Western culture, as much as the Islamic culture. Sultan Mehmed invited Italian painter Gentile Bellini to his palace and had his portrait painted, although it was not among the customs of the Islamic world. Fatih Sultan Mehmed collected various books on geography, medicine, history and philosophy in his own library, and by the works of Western and Eastern artists that were brought to his palace; he inspired a bright period to start in Ottoman painting arts. The local artists found the opportunity to learn and perform Western painting styles when he had his portraits painted by Western artists. - 7 - In Bayezid II period (1481-1512) the artists in Topkapı Palace were organized, and they made literary paintings in palace workshops. In Yavuz Sultan Selim period, after the victories won against the Safavids and the Memluks, many artists were brought to Topkapı palace especially from Tabriz Palace. During Kanuni Sultan Süleyman’s (the Magnificent) long reign (1520-1566), the borders of the empire expanded and the number of artists at the palace workshops increased. As these artists, who were attached to traditions of painting, worked according to the palace’s requests; the art of miniature gained a highly interesting form. Turkish painting headed towards a strict style and freed itself from foreign influences in Kanuni period, thus it created the classical Ottoman miniature. In addition to the first examples of Turkish miniature like palace, hunt, entertainment and war scenes; the history of prophets, the Ottoman history, castle, city and harbor images, reception, accession to the throne and wedding ceremonies, journeys and conquests became the subjects of miniatures. The works that were written and illustrated by the artist called Matrakçı Nasuh point to a great innovation in Turkish painting. Matrakçı Nasuh can be characterized as a sensitive landscape painter in the 16th century. His paintings of cities without any figures are not only some historical sources, but also the first examples towards the development of a new painting style; “landscape painting”. The work called “Süleymanname” was decorated with 69 miniatures, and was depicting the incidents of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman.