Abstract
MUSTAFA RAKIM EFENDİ ARTIST OF CALLIGRAPHY OF THE XIXTH CENTURY In the X century, upon accepting Islam as their religion, the Turcs have started to use the Arabic alpha bet and adding aesthetical feastures they have transformed it's writing into a calligraphic art. The writing down of the Holy Koran by the Turcs and in Istanbul, has had a considerable influence on the development of this art. The introduction of calligraphy as an art took place with the Turkish calligrapher Amasyalı Yakut, the clerk of the last Abbasi Caliph Musta'sim, who brought a new fade by creating a new style of `nesih`, `sülüs` and `celi` in the mid of XIII century, using a pen with oblique point. There was no other important development till the reign of Ottomans. In the XVth century, Sheikh Hamdullah from Amasya, working on six letter types settled down classical and well-founded bases. He was given the title of `the` `kıble` of cal 1 igraphers`. Until his death Sheikh Hamdullah continued with his art under the auspices of Beyazıt II. Yahya Safi and Ali Safi coming onto the scene after Sheikh Hamdullah could not have replaced this capable cal- 1 igrapher. The known calligrapher of the XVI century Ah met Karahisari, the contemporary of Sheikh Hamdullah, con tented only with changing the geometrical ratios of the letters. His celebrated `musselsel besmele` is appreciated as a master-piece of the world history of art. The Koran written by him is one of the pieces put on display in the Sultan Suleiman (Suleiman the Magnificent) Exhibition heldin the United Kingdom. In the XVII century, the Tur kish art of calligraphy began to ascend again with Hafız Osman who developed and simplified the `nesih` writing. His style consists of spaces with infrequent intervals between the words which however do not affect the grasping of the sentence as a whole. In between the mids of the XVIIIth and XIXth century, studying the calligraphic style of Hafız Osman, Mustafa Rakım Efendi, master of `velî` writing, innovated a new and vivid style which other cal 1 igraphers could ne ver imitate. Each letter has a very typical and unique pose and beauty. Rakım Efendi removed the formalism and the dependence on classical rules. The novelty he brought in the art of monogram (tuğra) had a great impact also on the next centuries monography. Necmeddin Okyay and Ali Alpaslan followed Yesarî in `ta`lyk` writing. th The Rakim's style was brought up to the XX cen tury through Sami Efendi, Ahmet Kamil Akdik and Halim Ozyazıcı. Recently deceased Prof. Emin Barın, the well-known Turkish calligrapher of the XX century, did not only create works based on a modern approach but represented also the Turkish nation thoroughly and was awarded prizes both on national and international scenes. The art of calligraphy is continuing with new gene rations. Our estimable teacher Mr. Mahmut Oncu, the artist of the calligrphic works of the Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara, is actually teaching his pupils trying to make of them brillant cal 1 igraphers. This way, the art of Turkish calligraphy will sur vive provided that we maintain and protect these master pieces present in monuments in our country and the ones
