Journal of Ottoman Calligraphy

As the main scientific library of the Republic of Austria, the Austrian National Library (ANL) can look back on a history rich in tradition dating to the 14th century. (more…)

by Olga Vasilieva, Curator of the MS Department Oriental Collection.

Imperial Public Library started acquiring manuscripts in oriental languages as soon as it was established in 1795. By the time it was officially inaugurated in 1812 it had accumulated 183 such manuscripts, 103 of them being from P.P. Dubrovsky’s collection. (more…)

ISLAMIC ART IN THE CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN COLLECTION
Bait Al Zubair Museum, Oman
Ed. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
117 pages
ISBN 972-8848-17-X
€ 27

The profusely illustrated exhibition catalogue (English and Arabic editions) includes pieces from a broad range of Islamic arts, produced between the late twelfth and the twentieth centuries in the same geographical areas as those represented in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum’s permanent exhibition.

The texts have been written by museum curators Maria Fernanda Passos Leite e Maria Queiroz Ribeiro

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was established by Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian’s will dated 1953 and founded in July 1956.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Collection comprises some 6000 pieces. The Museum houses on the permanent exhibition galleries 1000 of its most representative works. A short selection choice of the most outstanding pieces in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum belonging to different sections are presented here.

Calouste Gulbenkian’s interest in artistic production from Persia, Turkey, Syria, the Caucasus and India, dating from the twelfth to the eighteenth centuries, is very much in evidence here. The numerous objects on display include carpets, fabrics, illuminated manuscripts, book bindings, mosque lamps, painted tiles and ceramics, namely from Iznik.

The Library

The Art Library, formerly named General Library and subsequently General Library of Art was created in 1968 with the aim of gathering the collections of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Initially its holdings supported the collection and activities of the Gulbenkian Museum, and included the private library of Calouste Gulbenkian formed by about 3000 titles.

Address:
Av. de Berna 45A
1067-001 Lisboa Codex
Tel: 21 7823000
Fax: 21 7823032

Source: © 2002 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian

The Art of the Book from East to West and Memories of the Ottoman World
Masterpieces of the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection
From 14 April to 28 May, 2006
Sakip Sabançi Museum, Istanbul

In the year when the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this exhibition hosted in the hometown of its founder, helps to reveal a lesser known aspect of Calouste Gulbenkian´s choices as a collector, displaying an exceptional selection of manuscripts and printed books from East and West, ranging from the thirteenth to the twentieth century. The exhibition is complemented by other works of art that help to give an insight into the man who, during his life-time, assembled an outstanding collection that ranges from classical antiquity to the twentieth century, reflecting the eclectic nature and varied influences that Oriental and Western cultures had on his character.

Source: © 2002 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian

Notable museums in Turkey:

The Galata Mevlevi Lodge (mevlevihane) or as it is also known the Kulekapı Mevlevi Lodge which is now serving as a museum, is one of the institutions which reflect the culture of the era in the best possible way. The Mevlevi Lodges which for centuries combined scholarship with music, had a great influence on the Turkish culture. A great number of those people who came together in a Mevlevi Lodge environment were educated in various areas of fine arts and their names were remembered for a long time as far as science and scholarship was concerned. The Mevlevi Lodge which is located at the top of the steep street going down to Yüksekkaldırım is the oldest Mevlevi Lodge of İstanbul. It was built in 1491, on the hunting grounds of İskender Pasha who was a governor - general during the times of Sultan Bayezid. Its first master was Mehmet Mehmed Sema-i Çelebi. The building was struck by fire during the reign of Sultan Mustafa III. (1766) but was replaced by the existing Mevlevi Lodge by the same Sultan. In later years, the building underwent repairs during the reigns of Sultans Selim III, Mahmud II and Abdüllmecid. The institution which carried out its activities until 1925 was once more restored between the years 1967 - 1972. The Mevlevi Lodge which was built as a complex contained rooms and spaces for pray chanting, dervish cells, the quarters of the master (şeyh), special prayer (namaz) area for the Sultan, the section for the female members, library, fountain for the public, clock room, kitchen, mausoleums and an enclosed graveyard. (more…)

Notable Museums:

Turkish and Islamic Works Museum is the first Turkish museum covering the Turkish and Islamic art works wholly. The establishment works that have been started at the end of 19th century have been completed in 1913 and the museum has been opened for visit in the soup kitchen building located in Süleymaniye Mosque complex, which is one of the most important works of Mimar Sinan, with the name of “Evkaf - ı İslamiyet Müzesi” (Islamic Foundations Museum). After the announcement of the republic, it has taken the name “Turkish and Islamic Works Museum”. (more…)

Calligraphy is more than handwriting. It is a “spiritual technique” that beaches out with grace and elegance to engage the eve, mind and soul…

Written by Kamel Al-Baba

In a broad sense, calligraphy is merely handwriting, a means of recording and transmitting information, sometimes clearly, sometimes not, but in most instances hastily and with little regard for its appearance. In the Arab world calligraphy is something more. It is an art—indeed the chief form of visual art—with a history, a gallery of great masters and hallowed traditions. It is an art of grace and elegance which inspires wonderment for its appearance alone.

What distinguishes calligraphy from ordinary handwriting is, quite simply, beauty. Handwriting may express ideas, even great ideas, but to the Arab it must express, too, the richer dimension of aesthetics. Calligraphy to the Arab is, as the Alexandrian philosopher Euclid expressed it, “a spiritual technique,” flowing quite naturally from the influence of Islam. (more…)

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.

Introduction

A Brief History of Ottoman Calligraphy

When, in the tenth century, the Turks migrated to the West from their original home in the steppes of northwest China, they came into contact in Turkestan, Afghanistan and Iran with the religion and culture of the Islamic world. The mass conversion to Islamic, which resulted from this migration, was accompanied by the abandonment of the old Uyghur alphabet they had formerly employed and the adoption of the Arabic script they were to use for nearly a thousand years until the introduction of the new Turkish alphabet in 1928. But the inherently artistic nature of the Turks inspired them with deep love for the Arabic script, which they themselves greatly improved by the introduction of a number of changes in form.
It was the Ottoman Turks who produced and perfected several varieties of this type of script. All the various branches of the art of calligraphy, an art greatly loved and respected by the Ottoman Turks, flourished particularly in the city of Istanbul, the administrative center of the Ottoman State, and it was in Istanbul that the finest and most mature works were produced. (more…)