Turkish Art Research Articles

1980 SONRASI ÇAĞDAŞ TÜRK SANATINDA DİSİPLİNLERARASILIK VE DİSİPLİNLERAŞIRILIK

The coup of 1980 in Turkey was considered a negative impact of effective and long-term changes. Everything, including the historical process, political, economic, social and cultural phenomena, as well as street and art concepts, has been shaped before and after the 80s. The first half of the 80s became a period for Turkish art when works were published and bought and sold as commodities. After 1980, there was a major break in the field of visual arts, both in reviewing the subjects discussed and in the forms of creation. Artists who worked on the distribution of arbitrary border lines between political, economic, social or cultural products until the 80s gained a freer understanding of art in the 80s. With these understandings, after the 1990s, Turkish artists have signed practices that are open to diversity in art and are increasingly appreciated as interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary. This diversity has been provided with opportunities in the interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary period in which the art environment has been cultivated along social and cultural mobility such as global production, freedom, technological developments and international markets. Expanding the interdisciplinary and extreme expressions of disciplines within the scope of the research and examining the selected examples in a more comprehensive manner, revealing the results that Bitcoin has created in the last period and afterwards. Keywords: Turkish Art, Interdisciplinary, Transdisciplinary

Grotesque Approaches in Contemporary Turkish Painting

The Republican period witnessed significant changes in Turkish art and the art of painting was reshaped in this process. By addressing the grotesque elements in paintings depicting mythological themes, the study aims to understand the reasons why artists use these images and the social, cultural, and political contexts of these images. The study analyzes the depiction of figures in Turkish painting in a grotesque context during the Republican period and how artists integrated the influences of Western culture as well as traditional Turkish culture. Additionally, it is examined whether the use of grotesque images emerged as a reaction of the artists to the political and social atmosphere of the period or as a different narrative strategy. In this context, it offers an understanding of how grotesque images in Turkish painting reflect the artists' individual expressions, social criticism and cultural identities.

Halil Pasha’s legacy as a Turkish painter: Esotropia or pseudoesotropia in “Yaşlı Halayık”

ABSTRACT Introduction: Esotropia is a form of strabismus, a condition characterized by the misalignment of the eyes. Specifically, esotropia refers to inward deviation of one or both eyes. It can manifest at different ages, ranging from infancy to adulthood, and can have varying degrees of severity. The false appearance of esotropia in the alignment of the visual axes is what defines pseudoesotropia. Halil Pasha was a Turkish painter known for his contributions to the art scene during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His artistic talent, coupled with his influential position as a statesman, allowed him to leave a lasting impact on the cultural landscape of the Ottoman Empire. Methods: In the present study, artistic depictions of esotropia or pseudoesotropia in Halil Pasha’s ”Yaşlı Halayık” were evaluated. A comprehensive literature review on strabismus in medicine and art was conducted. Results: “Yaşlı Halayık”, translated as “Old Servant Woman”, is one of the iconic paintings of Turkish art. It reflects the social dynamics and lifestyle of the time, offering a glimpse into the lives of women serving in Ottoman households. When we examine this painting as a physician, the first thing we notice is the old woman’s eyes. An eye misalignment in the left eye of the old servant woman is noticed. Discussion: In medical humanities, which are addressed in medical education, medicine and art intersect with different perspectives and understandings. Although the evaluation of medical scenes in artworks seems to have been first observed by an art historian, today physicians and medical students need to examine artworks more carefully and develop their observational skills. Iconodiagnosis is the medical analysis of artworks that looks for clinical signs suggestive of medical disorders and diseases. The application of iconodiagnosis in medical education is an alternative and stimulating way to exercise students’ observation skills; not only the physical examination of the patient is important, but also the information obtained from their posture, clothing, general demeanour and even physical aids.

A MOSQUE BEARING DEPICTIONS OF DERVISH LODGE ITEMS: AFYONKARAHİSAR BAŞMAKÇI RECEP BEY MOSQUE

Wall paintings, which started to be seen in Ottoman society from the 15th century, became widespread in civil architecture in Istanbul from the second half of the 18th century. They spread to all Anatolia and the Balkans in a short time anda re observed even in small-scale village mosques. In this study, the architecture of the Recep Bey mosque, which is located in the center of Başmakçı district in the southeast of Afyonkarahisar, was assessed in terms of Sufi culture by considering the embroideries made using the hand-drawn technique in the interior part, depictions, writing program, possible iconographic meanings that the depictions may have, and depictions of tekke items found in the structure. Mosques with two and four minarets, salsabil pool with arch and curtain on it, curtain and oil lamp placed in the niche of the mihrab, pitcher, clock, scales and scissors, eight-door, five-story paradise with a tree of heaven placed upside down on it and tekke items depictions were used on the walls of the work. According to the master inscription found on the west wall, the hand-drawn decorations were made by a master named “Hüseyin Arif” on “5 Muharram 1310” (G. July 30, 1892). The depiction of many tekke items found on the same wall suggests that “Hüseyin Arif” was working with a tekke. In the study, the depictions of the tekke items in the structure and the writing program were examined in detail, and it was concluded that the master could be Bektashi or Rifai, and the relations of these sects with each other as well as the futuwwa and ahi organizations were examined. With its depictions, the mosque is an original example of small-scale village mosques, which are frequently encountered in the region, and is an important representative of tekke art with its tekke item depictions. Keywords: Turkish Art, Afyonkarahisar, Recep Bey Mosque, Wall Paintings, Hand- drawn Decoration, Bektashism, Rifaism, Ahi Order and Futuwwa.

The Turkish Art of Marbling (Ebru) on Textile Fabrics: Investigation of Thickening Agent, Mordant and Fixation Temperature

Ebru is a mysterious art and briefly described as the art of paper decoration. Turkish “Ebru” or “Marbling Art” was included in the list of world cultural heritage by UNESCO in November 2014. Today, people use marbling mainly for fabrics and papers in many ways. From a technical viewpoint, the marbling process depends on the balance of relations between the chemical character and particle size of the color pigments and their relation between the viscosity and surface tension phenomena of the marbling bath upon the surface. This study investigates the surface tension, pH and conductivity of the sizing baths and acrylic dyes, compares carrageenan and sodium alginate as thickeners for the marbling bath. Then it also explores the effect of self-fixation, fixation temperature and alum application on the fastness properties and print durability results for cotton and polyester fabric. It was seen that pattern transferring ability of carrageenan bath was better than sodium alginate bath, marbling paints have some self-crosslinking ability, alum application do not have an influence on the print durability and fastness properties, whereas, only fixation temperature of 150oC had a slight effect.

The Ideological Background to Architectural Restoration in Turkey (1920s–1960s)

Abstract Based on primary sources such as field notes, reports, and project memorandums, this article addresses architectural restoration work in Turkey from the 1920s to the 1960s. Despite the country’s limited budget and workforce, especially in the early years of the republic, the government crafted an intense preservation program of historic monuments, whereby preservation professionals implemented the scientific protection of architectural heritage mainly through maintenance and repairs. This article argues that the historiography of Turkish art became an agent in restoration, while the concept of the essence of national architecture served as the ideological basis for physical interventions. Seeking to restore the pure forms of Turkish architecture, preservationists searched for the pedigree of built works, and Sinan’s style was treated as the zenith of Turkish architecture. Works by him, along with other examples associated with the “Classical Period of Architecture” were subjected to heavy-handed interventions aimed at achieving stylistic purity.

The tension between contemporary and modern art: The emergence of new media in Turkey, the development of digital art and the changing institutions/institutional structure

As a new art form of a new world that technology has changed and transformed, new media art and other forms of creation associated with it have different stages of development in different countries. Questions such as the development of this form in Turkish art, the visibility of the artists working in this field in the international art field, what qualities the created works have and what stages they have passed through to capture the current digital identity (aesthetics) have not yet been fully clarified in the literature. In this context, the research takes an important role in filling the gap in the literature by chronologically addressing this change process in Turkish art and analyzing the progress of new media art from past to present. In accordance with this purpose; first of all, the relationship between modern art and contemporary art and the changing dimensions of cultural structure are examined. In this context, new media arts and digitalized art creations, which exist as a new form of contemporary/contemporary art, are included in the research through the development of the screen phenomenon and analyzed. In the continuation of the research, the development of new media in Turkey, the pioneering steps taken in this context, the first exhibitions, different creation mechanisms, collaborations in the formation process, alternatives for exhibition strategies are analyzed. Then, the development of new media and the process of change in institutions and institutional structures are discussed in two different aspects in terms of the exhibition process of the work and the creation process, and the collaborations of different disciplines in the creation process of digital art are examined with examples from the world and Turkey. The research, in which the foundations of the change between contemporary and modern art are analyzed through new media art and digitalized art creations, is a qualitative research using the relational analysis method and the analyzed works are included in the research with purposeful element sampling.

Caring Kind: Exploring Gender-based Violence Through Artworks by Women from or based in Turkey between 1980–2020

Art opens new pathways for novel modes of engagement with feminism and the related history of theory, writing, and activism through transdisciplinary approaches. One pathway is the reflection of gender-based violence in artworks. This paper follows the traces of the patriarchal mindset and its reflections in various forms of gender-based violence in selected artworks of women artists based in or from Turkey between 1980 and 2020. This study has a specific focus on artists whose works are autobiographical, and who shift between experimental writing and visual art in their works. The resources for this study include artist interviews, artist books, Turkish art history literature that deal with the 1980–2020 period, archival material from artists, news articles, exhibition catalogues, art periodicals, as well as international literature on art writing as a feministic practice. Findings of this study indicate that art has the power of fore fronting, awareness raising, reframing, and thus transforming existing knowledge and commonly held beliefs concerning gender in a society through its various forms of expression.

DERİ ÜZERİNE EBRU BOYAMA TEKNİĞİNİN ÖRNEK ÇALIŞMA BAĞLAMINDA DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Geleneksel Türk Sanatları alanında yüzyıllardır var olan ebru sanatı ve dericilik başlangıçta ihtiyaçları karşılamak amacıyla ortaya çıkmıştır. İlerleyen zamanlarda birer sanat olarak icra edilmeye başlanmıştır. Ebru sanatı farklı birçok materyal üzerine uygulanmaktadır. Sürekli olarak gelişmekte ve kullanım alanını genişletmektedir, moda, aksesuar, ayakkabı, çanta, tekstil gibi pek çok alanda kullanılmaktadır. Dericilik yaşam koşullarından korunmak amacı ile ortaya çıkmış ve işleme yöntemlerinin keşfedilmesi sonucunda bir sanat haline gelmiştir. Pek çok deri çeşiti ve süsleme teknikleri bulunmaktadır. Deri günümüzde çanta, cüzdan, ayakkabı, ceket, aksesuar, moda ve mobilya sektöründe tercih edilmektedir. Dayanıklı, sağlam ve esnek olması ile uzun yıllar boyunca kullanılmaktadır. Deri süsleme tekniklerinden biri olan boyama tekniği ebru sanatı bağlamında ele alınmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında ebru sanatı keçi derisi üzerine uygulanmıştır. Türk Sanat tarihinde önemli yerlere sahip olan ebru sanatı ve dericilik özellikleri, tarihçeleri ve çeşitleri ile aktarılmış ve bir arada kullanılarak ürünler elde edilmiştir. Örnek çalışmaların aşamaları fotoğraflanarak açıklanmış ve elde edilen sonuçlar yorumlanmıştır.

Barok Sanatının XVII. Yüzyıl Osmanlı Kumaş Sanatına Etkileri ve Benzer Yönleri

Köklü bir medeniyetin üzerine inşa olan Türk Sanatı, geçmişten bugüne ideali bulma gayesi ile sürekli bir yenilik içerisinde olmuş ve birbirinden orijinal eserler meydana getirmiştir. Kültürel, sosyal, ekonomik, dini birçok alanda dönemleri hakkında bilgi veren belge niteliğinde ve bu sanatın önemli dallarından biri olan Osmanlı kumaşları, farklı dönemlerde, farklı özellikler taşımaktadır. Bu özellikler bazen bir gelişimin izlerini taşırken bazen de diğer kültürlerin etkisi olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bunlardan farklı olarak bu özelliklerin yer yer etkiden ziyade benzerlikten öteye geçmedikleri görülmektedir. Makalemiz kapsamında XVII. Yüzyıl Osmanlı kumaş örnekleri, mevcut kaynaklardan elde edilen görseller ve gerekli bilgilerden faydalanılarak motif, kompozisyon, renk, motif boyutu ve formu, kullanılan malzeme özellikleri bakımından incelenmiştir. Bunun dışında Türk Sanatına ait geçmişe dönük incelenen diğer arkeolojik verilerde de Barok’a maledilen bazı özelliklere rastlanılmıştır. XVII. yüzyıl Osmanlı kumaşları arasında bu ortak unsurlara sahip sanat eserleri, somut birer belge niteliğinde analiz edilerek, hangilerinin benzerlik, hangilerinin etki kapsamında değerlendirilmesi gerektiği hususunda çeşitli bulgular elde edilmiştir. Türk sanatçılarının üstün hayal gücü ile yeteneklerinin bir araya gelmesi ile oluşmuş Türk Sanatı ve eserlerinin bir grubunu temsil eden XVII. Yüzyıl Osmanlı Kumaşları, Barok sanatı ile birçok açıdan benzer özelliklere sahip olmasına rağmen bu sanattan etkilendiği de anlaşılmaktadır. Ancak bu etkileri de körü körüne uygulamak yerine kendi sanatsal değerleri ile harmanladıktan sonra eserlerine aksettirdiği de görülmektedir.

Turkey’s Participation in International Biennials in the 1950s

Biennials became important events for regeneration through culture and art in the post-WWII era, and as such they were supported through the cultural policies of nation-states. The Venice Biennale was first organized in 1895, and after 1950, other biennials took place in cities like Ljubljana, São Paulo, and Paris. Their number continued to increase over the years, as did the number of countries participating in them. In the atmosphere marked by the promotion of multiculturalism and world peace that followed the Second World War, Turkey was among the countries invited to take part in international biennials. However, because of economic and organizational challenges, it was only able to participate in such events from the 1950s onwards. In addition to Turkey's participation in international biennials as a country, individual artists who had left Turkey for various reasons took part in major exhibitions such as biennials and documenta during this period. This article focuses on Turkey's representation in the world art scene in the 1950s, when the country first began taking part in international biennials. It also questions why Turkey began participating in such events at that time and considers the impact they had on the Turkish art scene in the context of cultural policies of the Cold War. Drawing on new information and documents obtained from ASAC-Archivio Storico delle Arti Contemporanee, Fundação Bienal de São Paulo/Arquivo Histórico Wanda Svevo, Archives de la critique d'art, Rennes, Mednarodni Grafični Likovni Center (MGLC), and the Cincinnati Art Museum and Documenta Archiv, this study sheds light on Turkey's early participation in Ljubljana, International Biennial of Contemporary Color Lithography, Venice, São Paulo, and Paris Biennials as well as the inclusion of artists from Turkey in documenta, issues that have been little discussed in the literature on art history. By considering the imaginary boundaries that were drawn during the Cold War, Turkey's participation in international biennials in the 1950s, the global representation of Turkish artists at international exhibitions, and the incorporation of Turkish artists' works into the collections of major museums, it becomes clear that Turkey was an established part of the modern art movements of the period.

Ideology, Nationalism, and Architecture: Representations of Kurdish Sites in Turkish Art Historiography

This article discusses how the narrative of Turkish national historiography, crafted by Turkish elites in the 1930s in light of the official doctrine of the Turkish History Thesis and the Sun Language Thesis, attempted to Turkify the patronage of historical buildings constructed by diverse ethnic and religious communities of the country’s eastern region. I focus on the architectural production of the seven Kurdish dynasties that ruled a large area in the Middle East from the tenth to the mid-nineteenth century. Kurdish rulers constructed a large number of urban monuments bearing their names. These sites were appropriated into the Turkish national historiography in a denial of their Kurdish origins. This approach to history has rendered Kurdish material culture all but invisible, pushing the understanding of Kurdish architectural patronage and identity to the academic margins. This study aims to develop an alternative approach to the history of urban and architectural production in eastern and south-eastern Turkey, and opens a discussion for a definition of Kurdish art and architecture.

ABOUT USE WİTH THE TAMGAS OF “GOD” AND “PARADISE” IN TURKISH ART

İnanış noktasında, Tanrı ve Cennet gibi kavramlardan her biri genellikle semavi dinlere inanan kişilerin karşılaştığı öncelikli kutsal kavramlardandır. Bu iki kavramın sanata yansımaları, soyut birer kavram oldukları için, semboller yoluyla olmak durumundadır. Türk sanatında yer alan sembolik işaretlerin kullanımı, damga vurma geleneği ile doğrudan bağlantılıdır. Damga, Türk devletlerinin ve halklarının kendi benliklerini yansıttığı simgeler olarak, hemen her türlü malzemede kullanılmıştır. Türk sanatında karşılaşmış olduğumuz Tanrı ve Cennet damgalarının beraber kullanımı, Orta Asya’dan ve İran bölgesinden Anadolu’ya kadar, yoğunlukla mimari gelenek yoluyla taşınmıştır. Çalışmamızda örneklerle izlerini takip ettiğimiz bu kutsal geleneğin taş, alçı, tuğla, kerpiç, çini gibi pek çok malzemede, ince bir işçilikle uygulandığını görmekteyiz. 
 Birer sanat eseri olarak üretilmiş bu damgaların beraber kullanımı, Cennet ve Tanrı kavramlarının, insan zihnindeki anlamlarının benzerlik göstermesi ile yakından ilgilidir. Bu çalışmada, Türk damgalarından kutsallık ifade eden Tanrı ve Cennet damgalarının beraber kullanımı, anlam noktasında irdelenmiş ve sorgulanmıştır.

Reflections of Animal Symbolism on Anatolian Turkish Rugs

Ornamentation diversity (symbolic, figural, architectural, written, cosmic) is quite rich in Turkish art. Nature has been widely used as an artistic discourse in Turkish decorative arts. The human, animal and plant species in nature are applied by bringing the meanings attributed to their physical characteristics to the forefront in the discourse of art and have been kept alive as a cultural identity. Figurative ornaments, which are about human and animal depictions that exist for this dynamic, are common in Turkish art.The aim of this study, which includes animal patterns, one of the figurative ornament groups, is to touch upon the reflections of animal symbolism on Anatolian rugs. For this purpose, the development of animal patterns in Turkish art was addressed, and animal patterns applied on rugs woven in various regions of Anatolia were mentioned. The study, which has been introduced by making use of secondary data is qualified to set an example for various studies to be conducted in this field. As a result of the study, it was observed and apprehended that animal symbolism was applied in almost all regions of Anatolia, especially in Central Anatolia. While animal patterns are not generally applied as the main and exclusive pattern on rugs, it is seen that they have been attributed a protective role rather than being the main pattern per se. In this context, animal patterns applied on borders and surrounding the main pattern were encountered in general. Nevertheless, as a result of the study, it was determined that animal patterns differ slightly from region to region in terms of composition, but they had similar features in terms of weight of sense and were generally applied for protection purposes.

Agop, Salomon and Despina: Content Analysis of Non-Muslim Representations in Yeşilçam Cinema

In the years between 1956 and 1975, Turkish film production boomed. These two decades were also the very last years in which non-Muslim characters were still appearing in a wide range of productions, and so they offer an important window into the representation of non-Muslims in the Turkish cinema of this period, known as Yeşilçam. This essay explores these representations by analyzing 82 films featuring 121 Turkish Greek, Armenian and Jewish characters. The representation of these non-Muslims is considered through the characters’ importance to the plot, their names, genders, manners, ways of speaking, occupations, families, religious activities, relationships with Turkish Muslim characters, and the stereotypes associated with them. Unsurprisingly, non-Muslim characters often occupy minor, one-dimensional – and sometimes threatening – roles as these films are concerned with the stories of Turkish Muslim characters, who not only comprise the dominant group in society but also the vast majority of the audience. Analysis of the films indicates that representations of non-Muslim characters that originate in traditional Turkish art forms have undergone considerable change in films due to the influence of increasing Turkish nationalism, together with the Turkification policies of the Turkish state.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK REFORMS ON THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ART AND CULTURE IN TURKEY IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY

The name of the famous Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and the genius of the entire Turkic world, is very dear and native to all Turkic-speaking peoples in our time. With his unsurpassed genius, outstanding talents displayed on the battlefields and political war, passionate love for the Motherland and the entire Turkish world, Atatürk not only prevented the destruction and disintegration of the Turkish state and people, but also, by implementing such important reforms in society as education, the acquisition of scientific and cultural innovations, created the basis for the Turkish flag to rise to heaven with renewed vigor and fly in eternity. The Turkish people, with their ancient roots and extremely rich cultural heritage, have made a very valuable spiritual contribution to the fine arts of the world. With the formation of the Republic in Turkey, such areas of art as sculpture, graphics, advertising and poster began to develop. The creation of the first monuments of monumental sculpture in the history of Turkey and the appearance of many famous Turkish sculptors is connected with the establishment of the Republic. As a result of the application of education, science, and literacy in all spheres of Turkish society, many famous women-artists, artists, athletes, and civil servants-appeared during the Republic. The fact that the state does not bind artists within the framework of any ideology, gives them freedom of creativity, leads to the appearance of different styles and interesting creative searches in the Turkish art of the Republic period. This article is devoted to the study of the reflection in the Turkish art of the twentieth century of the unique reforms that the great Ataturk preached and applied.

THE PLACE OF PAINTERS WHO WERE EDUCATED IN INAS SANAYI-I NEFISE SCHOOL, IN TURKISH PAINTING

Significant developments occurred in many fields in the Ottoman Empire, after it undergone social transformation with the period of Westernization. Women who stayed in the background in Ottoman society gained a respectable place by becoming more active with the period of westernization. During this process, women whose education level rose, also became interested in art. Women first met with art after the girls from the prominent families of the period took private painting lessons and were sent abroad for education. Fine arts education of women was performed by Inas Sanayi-i Nefise School, which was officially opened in 1914. The women painters who were trained in this school, where the important artists of the period gave education, made important contributions to the Turkish art of painting. These artists, who represented our country with their works both at home and abroad, pioneered the next generations. This study focused on the contributions of the works of Muzdan (Sait) Arel, Nazlı Ecevit, Guzin Duran, Melek Celal Sofu, Belkis (Mustafa) Hanım, Fahrunnisa Zeyd and Sabiha (Rustu) Bozcali, who were educated at Inas Sanayi-i Nefise School, to Turkish painting.

Loss of synthesis of modern architecture and art in Istanbul: case of Izzet Şefizade Villa

ABSTRACT The changing urban texture of Istanbul saw the construction of qualified houses, especially in the summer house districts, during the rise of modernist architecture after the 1950s. The İzzet Şefizade Villa built in 1961 in Fenerbahçe, a popular summer destination, is an undocumented example of the synthesis between modern architecture and art with its wall mosaic made by Ferruh Başağa (1914–2010), an important representative of Turkish abstract art. Despite its technical, aesthetic and social value, the building was found under earthquake risk and demolished in 2018 rather than being reinforced, and a new public center was built. This article discusses the loss of the building from the perspectives of urban transformation and conservation, the synthesis of architecture and art, and urban memory. As a rare and informative example, it shows that it is possible to save art works or architectural elements which are afforded no protection by law or ordinances.

Turkish Disco: The Intersection of Anatolian Pop, Groove and Psychedelia

This article aims to examine the genre of Turkish disco, with its local and global connotations. Using the theory of glocalization, the genre will be discussed as a means to understand current dynamics in the music industry. This research is a product of a discography survey and fieldwork consisting of extended interviews with DJs and musicians who were a part of the scene. What is labeled as disco music in Turkey, and what is referred to as 'Turkish disco' in the global music industry are, in fact, two different music cultures. The term's local usage refers to specific Turkish recordings from the late 1970s, in which various forms of Turkish art and folk music were reinterpreted, usually with Moog synthesizers. On the other hand, more recent connotations of Turkish disco owe much to DJs, and the digging, editing, and remixing culture of the 2010s. Coming hand in hand with the term Turkish psychedelic, many of these recent edits and remixes by DJs and producers were selected from the LPs and singles of the 1970s, which drew inspiration from pop, soul, folk, jazz, psychedelic rock, funk, and Anatolian pop. Thus, Turkish disco in the past decade has become an umbrella term for contemporary edits and remixes of the Turkish popular music of the 1970s. The reinterpretation of the forms such as Oyun Havası and potpori within the subheading of disco will be analyzed to understand the cultural aesthetics of taste and the political background of musical fusion.

LION FIGURES AND ICONOGRAPHY ON THE DOOR KNOCKERS OF HOCA AHMED YESEVI TOMB

By blending old Turkish beliefs with Islam, Hodja Ahmet Yesevi ensured the formation of an understanding of Sufism based on Turkish wisdom, love of Allah, tolerance and human love. The first Turkish mystic, Hoca Ahmet Yesevi, was buried in the city of Yesi after his death, and his small tomb, which was built in the 12th century, was rebuilt at the request of Emir Timur with the understanding of a kulliye including Yesevi's tomb. It is known that its structure was an important place of visit in almost every period. In addition to the life and works of Hodja Ahmet Yesevi, this visit, which embraces his tomb, which is the heart of Turkestan Geography, has attracted the attention of scientists, and the Mausoleum of Hoca Ahmed Yesevi was also examined in terms of its architecture and decorations, and it was evaluated in terms of the place and importance of this building in Turkish Art. At this point, the element that draws our attention is the lion figures on the bronze knockers of the wooden door opening to the Room with Copper Cauldron in Hoca Ahmed Yesevi Complex. On both wings of the door, the “şemse”shaped door handles decorated with rumi spiral branches and palmettes with openwork technique are attached to the floor with a lion head figure. There are more small lion heads on both sides of these lion figures, clinging to the şemse. Considering that the tomb of Hodja Ahmed Yesevi is located and that they belong to this complex where the memory of the saint was lived and where he was kept alive, it should be thought that the lion figures here were not used for decoration purposes only, or that the lion figures were not only for protection from evil and enemies. In the article, the use of lion figures in Turkish art before and after the adoption of Islam and their symbolic meanings is emphasized and the lion figures on the door knockers are evaluated in the light of the legends about him, especially in the wisdom of Hodja Ahmed Yesevi and it is tried to come to a conclusion. Despite the inability of such a bond materially, the descendants of Hodja Ahmed Yesevi to Hz. Ali's attachment to Hz. Ali is seen as the "Lion of Huda", and the three numbers that the Turks include in Islamic Sufism and Sufism are primarily Allah, Hz. Muhammad and the Hz. Ali, and the fact that these three lion figures are on the door make these lion figures away from being an ordinary decoration element. Keywords: Ahmed Yesevi, tomb, lion figure, iconography, door knockers