).jpg)
Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Turkish calligraphy
The art of Turkish calligraphy dates back to the seventh century. The Ottoman Turks migrated from Central Asia to establish an empire in Anatolia by 1299, and conquered Constantinople in 1453. The Ottoman Empire became a major European power. After the fall of the Mamluk Sultanate (1517), the Ottomans began to exert great influence over Islamic art and placed great emphasis on calligraphy. They collaborated with Egyptian and Persian calligraphers, adopting the naskh and thuluth scripts.
While other traditional Turkish art forms declined due to the influence of European techniques, styles, tastes, and imports, calligraphy has continued to flourish in Turkey until the present day. In 1928, the Arabic script was replaced with an altered version of the Latin alphabet in the Turkish Republic. However, with assistance from the Centre for Islamic Art and Culture IRCICA in Istanbul, new generations of Turkish calligraphers have continued to emerge. These include Ahmed Kâmil Akdik (1861–1941), Ismail Hakki Altunbezer (1873–1946), and Necmeddin Okyay (1883–1976).
Female calligraphers first gained prominence in the modern period of the Ottoman Empire, when a rich and well-preserved tradition of calligraphic biography emerged. A renowned historian of Ottoman calligraphy, Mustakimzade (d. 1788/89), describes eleven women calligraphers in his account. These women were trained by their fathers and brothers and excelled in their art. One female calligrapher, Emine Servt Hanim, wrote nine hilyas for her ijaza in the year AH 1291 (1874 CE), at around the age of eighteen. An ijaza is a certificate of authorization to copy and reproduce calligraphy and is a vital part of the Ottoman calligraphy tradition. Hanim's nine hilyas, written in exquisite and intricate detail, were considered a significant achievement for a female calligrapher of the time. At present, it is kept in a private collection. Hafiza Khatun (d. 1830), who memorized and recited the Hadith, was proficient in both the Thuluth and Naskh scripts. In Baghdad, Al Hafiza Saliha al-Naqshali was a widely recognized calligrapher and scholar. She was the first female calligrapher of note in Arabic calligraphy. Among her calligraphic works was her Quran; each page had ten lines: three lines of thuluth script, four lines of naskh below, and three lines of thuluth at the end.
Calligraphy is a form of writing that requires a specific type of pen made from a special kind of reed, ink made from soot, and special papers in order to practice. The reed is split lengthwise and divided into thin strips. The strips are next fused together to create the pen. The nib of the pen is angled so that it slants toward the calligrapher, who holds the pen so that the nib's edge completely rests on the paper. The most important component in the calligraphy's aesthetic quality is the pen, since the pen produces the subtle effects and designs.
In calligraphy, black lines are generally produced with lampblack ink on a light background. For Ottoman calligraphy, the most common colors were yellow (zırnık); red, white, and gold. The pigments were made with a variety of chemicals and substances, including orpiment, tulips and white lead.
In previous centuries, paper purchased from the factory was not immediately usable. The raw paper was first colored, since it was typically white and strained the eyes. The surface was then sized with ‘âhâr,’ and lastly burnished with a tool known as a ‘çakmak mühre’ to smooth the surface and stabilize the ‘âhâr’ coating. This method continues to be used in modern calligraphy, resulting in glossy and smooth paper.
There are several classical styles of Islamic calligraphy, which are known in Turkish as sulus, reyhani, rika, muhakkak, and tevki. The Turkish Calligraphers adapted these classical styles of Arab calligraphy and created their own new styles.
Sheikh Hamdullah (1429–1520) was the first notable calligrapher in the period of the Ottoman Empire. He was urged by his pupil Bayezid II (1481–1512) to develop his own distinctive style. Hamdullah's style later inspired Hâfiz Osman (1642–1688) a renowned calligrapher who went on to produce work that may be described as quintessential.
Hub AI
Turkish calligraphy AI simulator
(@Turkish calligraphy_simulator)
Turkish calligraphy
The art of Turkish calligraphy dates back to the seventh century. The Ottoman Turks migrated from Central Asia to establish an empire in Anatolia by 1299, and conquered Constantinople in 1453. The Ottoman Empire became a major European power. After the fall of the Mamluk Sultanate (1517), the Ottomans began to exert great influence over Islamic art and placed great emphasis on calligraphy. They collaborated with Egyptian and Persian calligraphers, adopting the naskh and thuluth scripts.
While other traditional Turkish art forms declined due to the influence of European techniques, styles, tastes, and imports, calligraphy has continued to flourish in Turkey until the present day. In 1928, the Arabic script was replaced with an altered version of the Latin alphabet in the Turkish Republic. However, with assistance from the Centre for Islamic Art and Culture IRCICA in Istanbul, new generations of Turkish calligraphers have continued to emerge. These include Ahmed Kâmil Akdik (1861–1941), Ismail Hakki Altunbezer (1873–1946), and Necmeddin Okyay (1883–1976).
Female calligraphers first gained prominence in the modern period of the Ottoman Empire, when a rich and well-preserved tradition of calligraphic biography emerged. A renowned historian of Ottoman calligraphy, Mustakimzade (d. 1788/89), describes eleven women calligraphers in his account. These women were trained by their fathers and brothers and excelled in their art. One female calligrapher, Emine Servt Hanim, wrote nine hilyas for her ijaza in the year AH 1291 (1874 CE), at around the age of eighteen. An ijaza is a certificate of authorization to copy and reproduce calligraphy and is a vital part of the Ottoman calligraphy tradition. Hanim's nine hilyas, written in exquisite and intricate detail, were considered a significant achievement for a female calligrapher of the time. At present, it is kept in a private collection. Hafiza Khatun (d. 1830), who memorized and recited the Hadith, was proficient in both the Thuluth and Naskh scripts. In Baghdad, Al Hafiza Saliha al-Naqshali was a widely recognized calligrapher and scholar. She was the first female calligrapher of note in Arabic calligraphy. Among her calligraphic works was her Quran; each page had ten lines: three lines of thuluth script, four lines of naskh below, and three lines of thuluth at the end.
Calligraphy is a form of writing that requires a specific type of pen made from a special kind of reed, ink made from soot, and special papers in order to practice. The reed is split lengthwise and divided into thin strips. The strips are next fused together to create the pen. The nib of the pen is angled so that it slants toward the calligrapher, who holds the pen so that the nib's edge completely rests on the paper. The most important component in the calligraphy's aesthetic quality is the pen, since the pen produces the subtle effects and designs.
In calligraphy, black lines are generally produced with lampblack ink on a light background. For Ottoman calligraphy, the most common colors were yellow (zırnık); red, white, and gold. The pigments were made with a variety of chemicals and substances, including orpiment, tulips and white lead.
In previous centuries, paper purchased from the factory was not immediately usable. The raw paper was first colored, since it was typically white and strained the eyes. The surface was then sized with ‘âhâr,’ and lastly burnished with a tool known as a ‘çakmak mühre’ to smooth the surface and stabilize the ‘âhâr’ coating. This method continues to be used in modern calligraphy, resulting in glossy and smooth paper.
There are several classical styles of Islamic calligraphy, which are known in Turkish as sulus, reyhani, rika, muhakkak, and tevki. The Turkish Calligraphers adapted these classical styles of Arab calligraphy and created their own new styles.
Sheikh Hamdullah (1429–1520) was the first notable calligrapher in the period of the Ottoman Empire. He was urged by his pupil Bayezid II (1481–1512) to develop his own distinctive style. Hamdullah's style later inspired Hâfiz Osman (1642–1688) a renowned calligrapher who went on to produce work that may be described as quintessential.