Calligrapher Rıfat Efendi

1945

Born in Istanbul, Feyhaman Duran graduated from Mekteb-i Sultani (today called the Galatasaray Lycée) in 1908, where he later taught calligraphy before going to Paris to attend Academie Julian and later Fernand Cormon’s (d. 1924) workshop at École des Beaux-Arts. He returned to Istanbul after the break of World War I.

Like other artists known as the 1914 Generation, who were trained in pre-War Paris, Feyhaman Duran was mainly influenced by Impressionism, although by then it was no longer a novelty, but rather an academic style. The artist has added his personal touch to his paintings influenced by Impressionism. The majority of his works consists of realistic portraits, but he has also painted numerous landscapes and still-lifes. True to his words, ‘Portrait has both a pattern and a meaning; just one does not suffice. That is why portrait is difficult’, Feyhaman’s portraits reflect clues to the inner world of the individual portrayed in addition to the physical characteristics.

The artist’s painting of the calligrapher Rıfat Efendi depicts the calligrapher together with the objects characterizing him. The calligrapher kneels at a corner of the room; the book on the reading stand in front of him and the turban rack on the wall behind him are details which add meaning to the figure. Rıfat Efendi’s physical characteristics, his old and large body, white beard and solemn expression are depicted with a realistic expression and in Impressionistic style. Rıfat Efendi (d. 1942), the artist’s calligraphy teacher, learned this art from the well-known masters Yahya Hilmi and Mehmed Şevki of the late 19th century and got his authorization certificate (icazet) from Mehmed Şevki.2 Duran’s another oil painting depicting Rıfat Efendi with his family and its two preparatory sketches are in Istanbul University’s collection.