Hâfiz Osman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hâfiz Osman
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A hilye by Hâfiz Osman.
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| Born | 1642 |
| Died | 1698 (aged 55–56) Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
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| Known for | Islamic calligraphy |
| Movement | Thuluth and Naskh |
Hâfiz Osman (Ottoman Turkish: حافظ عثمان Modern Turkish: Hâfız Osman) (1642–1698) was a very famous calligrapher from the Ottoman Empire. He was known for making writing styles better and for creating a special design for a type of art called a hilye. This design became the classic way to arrange these artworks.
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Who Was Hâfiz Osman?
Hâfiz Osman was born in Istanbul in 1642. His real name was Osman Den Ali. His father was a muezzin (someone who calls people to prayer) at the Khassèki mosque. This was an important job that helped protect his family.
Becoming a Master Calligrapher
Osman became a very skilled calligrapher. He even taught writing to sultans like Ahmed II, Mustafa II, and Ahmed III. Sultan Mustafa II thought very highly of him. It's said that the sultan would often watch Osman work and even hold his inkwell while he wrote!
Osman learned from great teachers like Suyolcuzade Mustafa Eyyubi and Derviş Ali. He studied different writing styles, including nashk and sulus, and was officially recognized as a master. Osman also really admired the work of a 15th-century calligrapher named Sheikh Hamdullah. He spent many hours carefully copying Hamdullah's works to make his own skills perfect.
Hâfiz Osman's Special Style
Osman brought back some older writing styles that people weren't using much anymore. He made these styles even better and clearer, and they became known as "Hâfiz Osman's style." Younger calligraphers loved this new style, and it slowly became more popular than Hamdullah's older style.
Osman was not just a great writer; he was also amazing at arranging text on a page. He made text design much better, often using different writing styles together on the same page. His most famous creation is the Ottoman hilye. This is a special design that has eight different parts arranged beautifully. These parts help people think and feel closer to their faith. His hilye design became the standard for this art form in the Ottoman world.
The Art of the Hilye
A hilye is a special art panel made with beautiful writing. It contains text based on sayings about the Prophet Muhammad, describing how he looked and his good qualities. Hâfiz Osman took these texts, which were already popular, and put them into a formal design that soon became the standard.
Hilye panels were used as wall decorations. They were similar to how paintings are used in other religious traditions. They gave a clear and artistic description of the Prophet's appearance. At the same time, they followed rules against drawing pictures of the Prophet, letting people imagine his appearance for themselves.
Hâfiz Osman also brought back ideas from another famous calligrapher, Hamdullah. He especially reintroduced several writing styles that had fallen out of use. Some of his surviving works include copies of the Koran. These can be found at the Topkapı Palace Museum Library in Istanbul and in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection. The Korans written by Osman were very popular and sought after during his time.
He was also a dedicated teacher. He gave free lessons to poor students on Sundays and lessons to wealthy students on Wednesdays. Throughout his life, he taught many calligraphers. His best student was Yedikuleli Seyyid 'Abdullah Efendi.
What He Created
You can find examples of Hâfiz Osman's amazing work in the Topkapı Palace Collection.
