OSMAN HAMDI BEYOSMAN HAMDI BEY

1842-19101842-1910

THE ERATHE ERA

The Statement Of Tanzimat (1839)The Statement Of Tanzimat (1839) The Second Constitutional The Second Constitutional

Monarchy (1908Monarchy (1908))

ModModernizationernization

andand

WestWesternizationernization

PAINTING

Started to developSoldier artistsSending artists to EuropeThe first civil artists

OSMAN HAMDI BEY

OSMAN HAMDI BEYOSMAN HAMDI BEY

1842- he was born1842- he was born 1860- started law education1860- started law education 1860- went Paris1860- went Paris 1869- turned back to Turkey1869- turned back to Turkey Worked for governmentWorked for government 1881- became director of Imperial Museum1881- became director of Imperial Museum 1883- founded The Academy of Fine Arts1883- founded The Academy of Fine Arts 1891- founded Istanbul Archeology Museum1891- founded Istanbul Archeology Museum 1910- died1910- died

THE ORIENTALISMTHE ORIENTALISM

to perform topics about the to perform topics about the EastEast

The Tortoise The Tortoise Trainer -1906Trainer -1906

The Tortoise TrainerThe Tortoise Trainer

• Painted by Osman Hamdi Bey Painted by Osman Hamdi Bey in two versions in 1906 and in two versions in 1906 and

1907.1907.

Content of the Content of the PaintingPainting A bearded man with a belt A bearded man with a belt

on his red long dress, in an on his red long dress, in an untidy room with tile arts, untidy room with tile arts, standing back to his standing back to his spectators.spectators.

On his head, he has a colour On his head, he has a colour cotton kirchief. Under his cotton kirchief. Under his feet, there are tortoises who feet, there are tortoises who are eating the leaves on the are eating the leaves on the floor.floor.

The only source of light on The only source of light on the painting is the low the painting is the low window in front of the man.window in front of the man.

He is holding a ney-the He is holding a ney-the instrument- in his hands at instrument- in his hands at the back. There is an the back. There is an arakiye-a kind of hat worn by arakiye-a kind of hat worn by dervish- and also a bounded dervish- and also a bounded plectron hanging . According plectron hanging . According to some critics, it is a thing to some critics, it is a thing used by the beggars made used by the beggars made from coconut tree.from coconut tree.

Comments and Comments and InspirationInspiration . First, it is certain that the . First, it is certain that the

ttortoiseortoise trainer is Osman trainer is Osman Hamdi himself, and he Hamdi himself, and he pictured himself as a dervish pictured himself as a dervish (with his reed flute, tongs (with his reed flute, tongs hanging from his neck and a hanging from his neck and a Dervish's pot on his back) who Dervish's pot on his back) who symbolizes patience and being symbolizes patience and being determined in an aim. determined in an aim.

Second, the tSecond, the tortoiseortoises are the s are the symbols of stubborn, resistant symbols of stubborn, resistant and slow people.and slow people.

And third, the ney (sufi flute) And third, the ney (sufi flute) is the symbol of art. In the is the symbol of art. In the picture the trainer is picture the trainer is supervising three tsupervising three tortoiseortoises s eating leaves with their heads eating leaves with their heads bowed in front. The two other bowed in front. The two other ttortoiseortoises at the back are s at the back are trying to approach to the trying to approach to the leaves. It is also certain that leaves. It is also certain that this is a harsh satire, but the this is a harsh satire, but the ideas vary in the aspect of ideas vary in the aspect of “satire to whom”. “satire to whom”.

Other comments are Other comments are shaped like that;shaped like that;

Many people interpret it as Many people interpret it as Osman Hamdi’s merciless, Osman Hamdi’s merciless, hopeless criticize towards his hopeless criticize towards his fellow colleagues at work. He fellow colleagues at work. He accuses them by being slow accuses them by being slow and reluctant.and reluctant.

The other and equally The other and equally sensible theory is being a sensible theory is being a reformist and revolutionist reformist and revolutionist artist, Osman Hamdi criticizes artist, Osman Hamdi criticizes the slow stubborn society the slow stubborn society and government. He wants and government. He wants them to change and he tries them to change and he tries to show that he would do it, to show that he would do it, of course with art. Although of course with art. Although the tthe tortoiseortoises are the animals s are the animals that are very difficult to be that are very difficult to be trained, and they have no trained, and they have no ears to hear the music (just ears to hear the music (just like the society’s being like the society’s being unaware of art) he has a unaware of art) he has a belief and patience for it. We belief and patience for it. We can see this hope of future as can see this hope of future as the light coming from the the light coming from the window.window.

Thank you Thank you for listening for listening

to us.to us.