Prince Abdülmecid Efendi and the Art of Calligraphy

1 April - 29 January 2023

Prince Abdülmecid Efendi and the Art of Calligraphy

Known as a painter, but also interested in music and calligraphy, Abdülmecid Efendi trained himself in calligraphy by making copies of panels by famous calligraphers in the palace collections, at a time when he was forced to live under surveillance in the palace, cut off from the outside world. Many of his paintings also feature calligraphic panels. “Prince Abdülmecid Efendi and the Art of Calligraphy” exhibition focuses on the sultans who were Prince Abdülmecid Efendi’s grandfather, uncle, father and cousin; Mahmud II (r. 1808-39), Sultan Abdülmecid (r. 1839-61), Sultan Abdülaziz (r. 1861-76) and Sultan Abdülhamid II (r. 1876-1909) respectively. The exhibition presents its visitors various calligraphic examples through works by Mahmud II's calligraphic masters Kebecizade Mehmed Vasfî (d. 1831) and Mustafa Râkım (d. 1826), as well as panels and kıt’as by the calligrapher sultans themselves.

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