The Tortoise Trainer by Osman Hamdi Bey

11 April 2020

Osman Hamdi Bey, who is accepted as the first Turkish archaeologist, was born in Istanbul in 1842. He was an archaeologist, museologist, painter and the first mayor of Kadikoy. Osman Hamdi Bey, who is also the founder of the Industrial Nefise Mekteb-I Alisi, better known today as Mimar Sinan University Fine Arts Faculty, has carried out archaeological excavation on; Mount Nemrut, Lagina, Sidon and also excavated the ancient artifacts of Iskender Lahti. He is one of the first Turkish painters and passed away as the first painter to use figurative composition in Turkish painting.

Osman Hamdi Bey’s original work Tortoise Trainer is Turkey's second most exclusive and highest valuable sale. In the painting; Osman Hamdi himself supervises tortoises eating leaves with a plectrum on his neck, nakara on his back and a ney in one of his hands he has clasped behind. The venue being the Green Mosque in Bursa, Osman Hamdi has depicted himself as a figure in many of his works.

THE ARTIFACT

Artist

Osman Hamdi Bey

Artwork

The Tortoise Trainer

Date

1906

Dimensions

221,5 * 120

Style

Orientalism

Composition