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The Tortoise Trainer

A contemplative dervish meticulously trains tortoises through art in Osman Hamdi Bey's 1906 masterpiece The Tortoise Trainer, an iconic Orientalist oil painting available for your collection.

Explore Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910), a pioneering Ottoman painter & archaeologist! Discover his portraits, genre scenes, & legacy as founder of Turkish museums & art education. View artwork on OriginalUniqueArt.

Giclée / Art Print

Museum-quality giclée or canvas print with fast production and flexible finish options. (Buy Hand Made Painting Buy Hand Made PaintingBuy Image Buy Image)

P118B $10
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Total Price

$ 81

reproduction

The Tortoise Trainer

Giclée / Art Print

Reproduction Size

-

Total Price

$ 81

Collectible Description

As the first and last Orientalist painter of the Ottoman Empire, Osman Hamdi Bey had the unique opportunity to observe the East from within. Rather than depicting the “other” as a number of foreign painters did, he portrayed his own culture and propounded his own cultural perceptions. His works, which often reflect the Ottoman tradition and culture, manifest a meticulous and realistic approach to all the elements featured in a scene, ranging from daily life to architecture and from objects to ornamentation. Osman Hamdi is an artist who not only incorporates the use of figures, but also introduces an intellectual dimension to Turkish painting. The Tortoise Trainer should thus be evaluated in light of this dual aspect. Osman Hamdi, who often used his own photographs as models in his figurative compositions, once again repeats the same technique in this painting and depicts himself in the appearance of a dervish. The architectural décor suggests that the scene takes place in one of the upper-story chambers of Bursa’s Yeşil Camii (Green Mosque). Dressed as a dervish and slightly bent over, a man is examining in a contemplative fashion, the tortoises roaming on the floor. He sports an araqiyya, a flattish skull cap commonly worn by dervishes, with a destar, or sash wrapped around it. He wears a belted, long red robe the borders of which are embroidered; his feet are clad in çedik, or slippers for indoor wear, made of yellow sahtiyan, Moroccan (goatskin) leather. He holds a ney in one of the hands he has clasped behind; a nakkare, or a small kettledrum hangs down from his back. While all these details do not necessarily signify allegiance to a particular sect, they are nonetheless elements derived from the attire of a dervish. The dervish is to train these thick-shelled, laggardly tortoises not by using force, but rather by playing the ney and nakkare, namely through art.

Artist Biography

early life and education

osman hamdi bey, a prominent figure in turkish art, was born in 1842 in istanbul, turkey. as the eldest son of grand vezir i̇brahim edhem paşa, he was sent to paris in 1860 to study law. however, the city's artistic atmosphere influenced him, and he developed a passion for painting.

artistic career

osman hamdi bey's artistic career can be marked by his contributions to both archaeology and the museum curator's professions in turkey. he is regarded as the founder of istanbul archaeology museums and the <stanbul academy of fine arts< known today as the mimar sinan fine arts university.
  • <sman hamdi bey's<artwork, <ortrait of naile hanım< showcases his mastery of portraiture (52 x 41 cm, sakıp sabancı museum, istanbul, turkey, oil on canvas).
  • his painting, <lowers in a vase< demonstrates his skill in capturing delicate features (71 x 58 cm, sakıp sabancı museum, istanbul, turkey, oil on canvas).
  • <odja reading the koran<is another notable piece, highlighting his ability to portray intense moments (72 x 53 cm, sakıp sabancı museum, istanbul, turkey, oil on canvas).

legacy and impact

osman hamdi bey's contributions to turkish art are undeniable. as the first modern archaeologist of the ottoman empire, he paved the way for future generations of artists and museum curators.

conclusion

<sman hamdi bey<s legacy in turkish art is a testament to his pioneering spirit. through his contributions to archaeology and the museum curator's professions, he has left an indelible mark on the art world. view more of osman hamdi bey's artwork on OriginalUniqueArt.com.
Osman Hamdi Bey

Osman Hamdi Bey

1842 - 1910 , Turkey

Quick Facts

  • Artistic Movement Or Style: Orientalist Painting
  • Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['École de Barbizon']
  • Artists Who Influenced This Artist: ['Jean-Léonard Mégevée']
  • Date Of Birth: December 30, 1842
  • Date Of Death: February 24, 1910
  • Full Name: Osman Hamdi Bey
  • Nationality: Turkish
  • Notable Artworks:
    • Portrait of Naile Hanım
    • Kokona Despina
    • The Scholar
  • Place Of Birth: Istanbul, Turkey
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