Esmâ Ibret Hanim
Esmâ Ibret Hanim (b. 1780) was an Ottoman calligrapher and poet, noted as the most successful female calligrapher of her day.
,_by_Esma_Ibret_Hanim.jpg)
Life and work
In the 18th-century Ottoman period, calligraphy was monopolised by males. However, a small number of female calligraphers, such as Esmâ Ibret and Şerife Fatma, succeeded and were able to make valuable contributions in their field. [1]
Esmâ Ibret Hanim was born in Istanbul in 1194 (1780).[2] Her father was Serhasekiyan-i hassa Ahmed Ağa. From her childhood she began to write sülüs-nesih and icâzet, copying the work of Mahmud Celâleddin Efendi. By the age of 15, her talent was widely recognised amongst family and friends. Her father liked to trick his friends by showing them work produced by Esmâ Ibret and watch his friends' amazed responses when they were told that his daughter was the scribe.[3]
She studied calligraphy with Mahmud Celâleddin. He had been shown a book prepared by her, and it was so good and so uncharacteristically "female" that at first he did not believe it was her work. On investigation however, he was persauded of her talent and accepted her as a pupil. She later married her master.[4] While her husband worked on revising the scripts, she followed in the style of Hâfiz Osman, producing elegant work in the sülüs and nesih scripts.[5]
She wrote a hilye that was presented to Selim III and his mother, who were so impressed that they arranged for her to be sent 400 Kuruş and 500 Akçes daily. [6]
She is generally regarded as the finest female calligrapher of her era. [7] Her work is only partially documented.[8] Examples of İbret's work can be found in the Topkapı Palace Museum.[9]
Both she and her husband lived long lives. Her date of death is not known. She is buried by her husband.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Emel Doğramacı Status of Women in Turkey Meteksan, 1984, p. 168
- ^ Turkish Biographical Index, Walter de Gruyter, 2011, p. 362
- ^ M. Ugur Derman, "Esmâ Ibret" [Biographical Notes], Islam Encyclopedia, Online (in Turkish):
- ^ M. Uğur Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998, p. 108
- ^ M. Ugur Derman, "The Art of Calligraphy in the Ottoman Regime", in: Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (ed.), History of Ottoman State and Civilisation, II, Istanbul 2003, pp 645-652
- ^ Davis, F., Gurun, S. andc Esch, M.E., The Ottoman Lady: A Social History from 1718 to 1918, Bruce Van Leer Greenwood Publishing Group, 1986 p, 225; Selçuk Mülayim, İlhan Akşit, Turkish Art and Architecture in Anatolia & Mimar Sinan Akşit, 2005, p. 264
- ^ Kemal Çiçek, Ercüment Kuran, Nejat Göyünç, İlber Ortaylı, The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilisation: Culture and Arts, Yeni Türkiye, 2000; M. Uğur Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998, p. 108
- ^ David Simonowitz A Modern Master of Islamic Calligraphy and Her Peers Journal of Middle East Women's Studies (2010) 6 (1): 75-102.https://doi.org/10.2979.MEW.2010.6.1.75
- ^ Tezer Taşkıran, Women in Turkey, Redhouse Yaylnevi, 1976, p. 21
- ^ Ünal Kurtçu, Boğaziçi Tiryakiliği, Elips Kitap, Bosporus (Turkey),2007, p. 123