List of Turkish painters

List of notable Turkish painters.

History

Turkish painting, in the western sense, developed actively starting from the mid 19th century.

Mid 19th Century to Early 20th Century

*Konstantin Kapıdağlı
*Givanian
*Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910)
*Şeker Ahmet Paşa (1841-1907)
*Süleyman Seyyid (1842-1913)
*Halil Paşa (1860-1939)
*Hüseyin Zekai Paşa (1860-1919),
*Hoca Ali Riza (1864-1939)
*Ahmet Ziya Akbulut (1869-1938)

The very first painting lessons were scheduled at "Mühendishane-i Berri-i Humayun" (Military School of Engineering) in 1793 mostly for technical purposes. Artists who formed the 19th century art milieu were often from the military schools. Additionally, Christian and "Levantine" artists as well as foreign painters lived and contributed to the art milieu in Istanbul. Some Turkish artists of military background like Osman Hamdi Bey, Şeker Ahmet Paşa, Süleyman Seyyid, Halil Paşa were educated in arts abroad. Others, such as Hüseyin Zekai Paşa, Hoca Ali Riza, and Ahmet Ziya Akbulut were educated within the country. "Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi" (School of Fine Arts) was established with Osman Hamdi's attempts in 1883. A new era was beginning in painting with the return of the artists from the West. Human figure in the western sense was being established in Turkish painting especially with Osman Hamdi Bey. Impressionism, among the contemporary trends, appeared later on with Halil Paşa. The "Ottoman Painters' Society" was formed in 1909. The society started exhibitions in 1916 continuing till 1952 on a regular basis that would be remembered as "Galatasaray Exhibitions".

The "1914 Generation"

*Mihri Müşfik Hanim
*Omer Adil
*Feyhaman Duran
*Avni Lifij
*Ibrahim Çallı
*Mehmet Ruhi
*Nazmi Ziya Guran (1881-1937)
*Namık İsmail

Contemporary trends that emphasize figure start to appear gradually in Turkey with the "1914 Generation". Figure, composition and entered the Turkish painting for the first time in the western sense with this generation. "Inas Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi" (School of Fine Arts for Girls) was founded for young women in 1914. Mihri Müşfik Hanim, Omer Adil, Feyhaman Duran were the first instructors. A studio was built with army support in Şişli, a district of Istanbul, with Arseven's attempt in 1917. Lifij's "Progress" and "War Allegory", Çallı's "Cannon Carrier", Mehmet Ruhi's "Stone Breakers" were the first examples of multi figured and large dimensional compositions realised prior to and following this period. Right after the Şişli Studio, the Vienna Exhibition was held in 1918, the first exhibition abroad.

Müstakiller (The Independents)

The young Turkish artists sent to Europe in 1926 came back inspired by contemporary trends such as Fauvism, Cubism and even Expressionism, still very influential in Europe, and they took a stand against the "1914 Generation" members. The important goals of this new group were, though not very absolute, pictorial design structure and linear foundation rather than impressionist colorism. The activities of the group under the name of "Independent Painters and Sculptors' Association", expanded with the participation of new artists in 1929. The association's founders were painters
*R. Fazıl (Epikman) (1902-1974)
*Cevat Hamit (Dereli) (1900-1989)
*Şeref Kamil (Akdik) (1862-1941)
*Mahmut Fehmi (Cuda) (1904-1987)
*Nurullah Cemal (Berk) (1906-1981)
*Hale Asaf (1905-1938)
*Ali Avni (Çelebi) (1904-1993)
*Ahmet Zeki (Kocamemi) (1900-1959)
*Muhittin Sebati (1901-1935)
*Ratip Asir (Acudoğlu) (1898-1957) sculptor
*Fahrettin Arkunlar (1901-1971) decorator

The question of how the new styles that Çelebi and Kocamemi formed, would fit into the realities of the country had been answered by Turgut Zaim (1904-1974). Zaim had given an original meaning to the structure of figure. The style the artist developed opposing to the new and comprehensive content which artists brought, had become a choice western trends.

"The Group D"

While the "Müstakiller" (the Independents) opened the doors of contemporary trends in Turkey, we see a newly founding group which would give a greater support to these efforts and of which their effectiveness lasted until the 1950s: "Group D". These artists introduced some trends that had lasted in the West for thirty, forty years. Group members were:
*Zeki Faik Izer (1905-1988)
*Nurullah Berk (1906-1981)
*Elif Naci (1898-1988)
*Cemal Tollu (1899-1968)
*Abidin Dino (1913-1993)
*Zuhtu Muridoglu (1906-1992) sculptor

The most significant distinction of "Group D" from the "Independents" was perhaps that they had gathered around a certain aesthetics with solidarity in determination to defend the new trends they wanted to bring in. "Group D" had not been representative of any particular view. They were open to anything new except Impressionism. The star of the Çallı generation faded away gradually after the "Independents" and "Group D" members had started to work at the Academy.
*Bedri Rahmi Eyuboğlu (1911-1975)
*Eren Eyuboğlu (1913-1988)
*Halil Dikmen (1906-1964)
*Eşref Üren (1897-1984)
*Sabri Berkel (1907-1993)
*Hakkı Anlı (1906-1990)
*Arif Kaptan (1906-1979)
*Salih Urallı (1908-1984) Besides all this progress, from the beginning there had also been independent artists. Among these
*İlhan Demirci
*Şefik Bursalı
*Leyla Gamsız
*Şemsi Arel
*Maide Arel
*Abidin Elderoğlu
*Hamit Görele
*Ziya Keseroğlu
*Seyfi Toray
*Fikret Mualla

can be counted.

*Cemal Bingöl
*Nejat Devrim
*Eren Eyuboğlu
*Füreyya Kılıç

were among those who worked figuratively. Later on
*Adnan Coker (*1927)
*Lütfü Günay
*Selim Turan (1915-1994)
*Fahrunissa Zeid (1901-1991)
*Burhan Dogancay (*1929)
*Adnan Turani (1925-)

took place in this trend. When we look at the formation that starts in the 1940s and materialized in the 1950s in Turkish painting, rather than particular groups or trends individual styles come forward while the existence of some groups could still be observed. It can be said that during the 1940s, the notion that first came forward was originality, regionalism and nationalism.

"Yeniler Grubu" (The Newcomers Group) late 1930s

formed by those who had a social realist understanding. After they opening of their "Harbour Paintings Exhibition", they had been remembered as the "Harbour Painters".
*Nuri İyem (1915-2005)
*Turgut Atalay
*Avni Arbaş (1919-2003)
*Selim Turan
*Ferruh Başağa
*Kemal Sönmezler
*Mümtaz Yener
*Agop Arad
*Haşmet Akal
*Turgut Zaim
*Cihat Burak

"On'lar Grubu" (The Group Ten) 1947

formed by the students of Bedri Rahmi who started working basically by adding folkloric ornaments in their works and added a freshness to the art milieu
*Mustafa Esirkuş
*Nedim Gunsur
*Turan Erol
*Fikret Otyam
*Orhan Peker
*Mehmet Pesen
*Adnan Varinca
*Leyla Gamsiz
*Hulusi Sarpturk

"Yeni Dal Grubu" (The New Branch Group) 1959

focusing on social reality.
*Ibrahim Balaban
*Avni Mehmetoğlu
*Ihsan Incesu and Kemal Incesu

"Siyah Kalem Grubu" (The Black Pen Group) 1961

The Siyah Kalem Grubu was centered around Cemal Bingöl's studio.
*Cemal Bingöl
*Ismail Altinok
*Selma Arel
*Lütfü Günay
*Ihsan Cemal Karaburcak
*Asuman Kılıç
*Ayşe Sılay
*Solmaz Tugac

Other

*Ercument Kalmik
*Nese Erdok
*Gunay Demir
*Emre Demirbas
*Murat Kulcuoglu

Turkish painting has continued to flourish since the 1960s, with an increasing rate of development, as evidenced by many new artists in many different styles.

Museums and collectors

Institutions and persons with collections of important Turkish paintings:

Museums:
* Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture
* Istanbul Modern
* [http://www.pm.org.tr/index_en.html Pera Museum]
* Ankara Museum of Painting and Sculpture
* İzmir Museum of Painting and Sculpture
*Dogancay Museum
*Military Museum, Istanbul
*Turkish General Staff Headquarters, Ankara
*Turkish Grand National Assembly, Ankara
*National Library, Ankara
*State Art Galleries in many cities of Turkey.

Collectors and galleries:
*Turkiye Is Bankasi, Ankara
*Akbank, Istanbul
*Turkish Republic Ziraat Bankasi, Ankara
*Yapi Kredi Bankasi, Istanbul
*Sabanci Family
*Erol Aksoy
*Mustafa Taviloglu
*Kemal Erhan
*Naci Terzi
*Belkis Aksoy and many more collectioners.
*Collections belonging to galleries especially in cities like Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir.