RAKIM: ‘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 small Zühdü, who brought Mustafa to Istanbul while still a small child. Rakim learned the art of calligraphy from Ahmet Hifzi Effendi 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 medrese constructed beside it.
