Ali En Nakşibendi Er Rakım

Behind exemplary works, there is undoubtedly a wealth of knowledge, experience, perseverance, self-sacrificing work, and effort... With her book titled An Unknown Painter of Our Art History: Ali En-Nakşibendî Er-Rakım, Azade Akar reveals the contributions our artistic ancestors made to Ottoman book arts. The Topkapı Palace, or by its other name, the Fatih Nakkaşhane (Workshop of Painters), fulfilled the manuscript service requirements of the Ottoman Empire for centuries, bestowing upon our civilization works of exquisite beauty... Dozens of illuminators, painters, architects, calligraphers, and masters of bookbinding and paper production who lived here carefully crafted a refined taste, fulfilling the decorative duties of the palace and the Ottoman State. The velvet-like iron sponges of civilization passed over many institutions and values belonging to timeless eras, just like the Topkapı Palace Nakkaşhane! Just as ancient arts, skilled artists, and powerful craftsmen were compressed into a few lines of encyclopedia entries for many years, the flower painters who played an important role in manuscript services were imprisoned in the bindings of the books they decorated. Our people know Van Gogh's sunflower painting, its story, and 'Van Gogh yellow'; yet, how sad it is that they do not know Abdullah Buhari or Ali Üsküdari, some of the most important Ottoman flower painters; and the name of Ali Nakşibendî, the subject of this article, has been forgotten. There are certain manuscripts waiting for their visitors on the dusty shelves of libraries; when you listen carefully, you can hear the remembrance of a master calligrapher's reed pen or the sound of a heartfelt illuminator's brush between the fragrant lines... Among those who hear the voice we speak of, the late Ord. Prof. Dr. Süheyl Ünver undoubtedly comes first... Süheyl Ünver, a cultural and art historian who received many awards for his contributions to the world of culture, art, and thought, left his mark with 1500 articles, 500 books, and thousands of paintings, illuminations, and miniatures. By teaching his research on our classical decorative arts to his students—first and foremost his daughter Gülbün Ünver Mesara and his daughter-in-law Dürdane Ünver, and to the greatest living masters of illumination today, Cahide Keskiner, Azade Akar, and in subsequent years, Semih İrteş—he ensured the survival of the palace illumination school. His student, Azade Akar, fulfilled a wish of Süheyl Hodja 25 years after his passing by taking the flower painter Ali En-Nakşibendî Er-Rakım, one of the head illuminators of the Topkapı Palace Nakkaşhane, from the dusty shelves of the libraries we mentioned and presenting him to the wisdom and perception of people today... An Unknown Painter of Our Art History: Ali En-Nakşibendî Er-Rakım is the first publication of the Nakkaş Decorative Arts Center... This book, published recently, introduces the Ottoman flower painter Ali Nakşibendî in detail, specifically through the Quran with the signature of Halil Hüdaî dated 1222 AH, which he decorated... Our teacher Azade Akar dedicates her book to the memory of her teacher with an example of loyalty: "I consider it a debt and an honor to dedicate this book to the precious memory of my late teacher, Ord. Prof. Dr. A. Süheyl Ünver, who strongly desired that a publication be made about Ali En-Nakşibendî Er-Rakım and that he be introduced to the art world, and who guided me and finally led me to this path..." Behind exemplary works, there is undoubtedly a wealth of knowledge, experience, perseverance, self-sacrificing work, and effort... The Ali Nakşibendî book is just such an exemplary book. The work emerged as a result of the intense efforts of Semih İrteş, Gülbün Ünver Mesara, Mamure Öz, and their student Recep Cengiz. In other words, in addition to Azade Hanım, four more masters of illumination have had a hand in this book, which is a work of art in itself. Yüksel Yücel, whose name has been mentioned alongside prestige books in recent years, also designed the book and followed the publication process... As is known, the 18th century was the brightest era of Ottoman flower painting. Ali Nakşibendî is among the leading master artists who produced works in the Topkapı Palace Nakkaşhane during such an era.