An Extremely Fine Calligraphy Signed by Ottoman Court Calligrapher Hasan Riza Efendi

An Extremely Fine Calligraphy Signed by Ottoman Court Calligrapher Hasan Riza Efendi.

Turkey.

Signed and Dated 1326 AH / 1907 AD.

27.2 x 33 cm.

The calligraphy in hand is a true masterpiece of Ottoman calligraphy documenting the degree of finesse reached in the first decades of the 20th century. It is undoubtedly one of the finest works of the court calligrapher Hasan Rıza Efendi with its extremely sharp, well-proportioned letters and highly finished letter finials both in thuluth and naskh scripts. The thuluth text comprises a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad; “the degree of knowledge is the highest of degrees”.

Hasan Rıza Efendi (d. 1920)

Born in the Üsküdar district of Istanbul in 1849, Hasan Rıza Efendi studied the six pens under the famous master calligrapher Yahya Hilmi Efendi. Later on he also studied under the supervision of master Mehmed Şefik Bey. Mehmed Şefik Bey introduced him to the great master of Ottoman calligraphy Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi who hugely inspired the art of Hasan Rıza Efendi.

He was appointed court calligrapher after Mehmed Şefik Bey, and taught calligraphy in the palace school called Muzika-i Humayun. He was particularly celebrated for his mastery in thuluth and naskh scripts. He was responsible from the calligraphies of the Cihangir Mosque, the Mosque of Sultan Selim I in Istanbul as well as the monumental names of the four righteous caliphs in the maqam al-Ibrahim in the Haram al-Sharif of the holy Kaba in Mecca. He passed away in 1920, in Istanbul.

Price on application

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance