Hattat Rıfat Efendi

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.