DANCING LETTERS  

A SELECTION OF TURKISH CALLIGRAPHIC ART   

Huseyin Gunduz (Marmara University, Department of Traditional Turkish Arts and Handicrafts),
Faruk Taskale (Marmara University, Department of Illumination)
Translated by Mujde Odabasıoglu

117 pages, Turkish and English
30 x 21 cm
Antik Inc. Co. Publications
December 2000

Price: $25

The book consisits of two sections. In the first part, which is devoted to the art of Turkish calligraphy, master calligraphers, major styles and the fields of usage of calligraphy are fully explained.  In the second part, the art of illumination is defined  in detail, referring to its principles, fields of usage and influential illuminators. There is also a dictionary of the most common terms used in the arts of calligraphy and illumination. 

There are 58 color plates made up of the works of most important Turkish calligraphers and illuminators including Dervish Ali, Hafız Osman, Kazasker Mustafa İzzet, Yahya Hilmi, Mehmet Şevki, İsmail Zühdi, Mehmet İlmi, Mahmut Celaleddin, Hasan Rıza, Yesarizade Mustafa İzzet, Aabdülfettah Efendi, Sami Efendi, Nuri Korman and Emin Barın. 

HILYE

Mahmud Celaleddin
Muhakkak, Sulus and Nesih
1214 (A.H.) /1796
Classical illumination
48x30cm

Hafız Vahdeti
Muhakkak, Sulus and Nesih
Rococo illuminaton
47x37cm

HILYE

Yahya Hilmi
Muhakkak, Sulus and Nesih
1301(A.H.)/1883
Rococo illumination
55x40cm

HILYE

Mehmed Aziz Rifai
Sulus and Nesih
1324 (A.H.) / 1905
Calassical illumination by Mimarzade Mehmed Ali
1327 (A.H.) / 1909
70x35cm

HILYE

Kazasker Mustafa İzzet
Muhakkak, celi Sulus and Nesih
1293 (A.H.) / 1876
With miniatures of Mecca and Medina
Rococo illumination
123x85cm

HILYE

Vehbi Efendi
Sulus and Nesih
Rococo illumination
47x39cm

HILYE

Mehmed Şekerzade
Muhakkak, Sulus and Nesih
1162 (A.H.) / 1748
Rococo illumination
54x47cm

HILYE

Abdurrahman Şükrü
Celi Sulus, Sulus and Nesih
18th century
With miniatures of Mecca and Medina
94x37cm

PLATE WITH TUGHRA (OTTOMAN IMPERIAL MONOGRAM)

Sami Efendi (1838-1912)
Monogram of Abdulhamid II
1317 (A.H.) / 1899
Rococo illumination by Osman Yumni
78x95cm