Semavi Eyice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prof. Dr.
Semavi Eyice
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A relief of Semavi Eyice in his parents' hometown of Amasra
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| Born | 9 December 1922 |
| Died | 28 May 2018 (aged 95) Istanbul, Turkey
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| Nationality | Turkish |
| Education | Art History |
| Alma mater | University of Istanbul |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Known for | Research on Byzantine and Ottoman Art and Archaeology |
| Spouse(s) | Kamran Yalgın |
Mustafa Semavi Eyice was a famous Turkish art historian and archaeologist. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey, on December 9, 1922. He passed away in Istanbul on May 28, 2018.
Professor Eyice was an expert in Byzantine and Ottoman art, especially in Istanbul. Many people see him as the first person to really focus on Byzantine studies in Turkey.
Contents
Growing Up and Early Studies
Semavi Eyice was born in the Kadıköy area of Istanbul. His parents were from Amasra. He went to French schools in Kadıköy. In 1943, he finished high school at Galatasaray High School in Beyoğlu.
During World War II, he traveled to Germany to learn the language. He also studied archaeology, history, and art history. He attended classes at the Universities of Vienna and Berlin. At that time, Berlin was being heavily bombed.
In 1945, he had to leave Berlin. He was moved to Denmark and Sweden. Later that same year, he returned to Turkey. He began studying art history at Istanbul University. He finished his degree in 1948. His main project was about the minarets of Istanbul.
Becoming an Expert
After graduating, Semavi Eyice worked as a research assistant. In 1952, he earned his doctorate degree. His work was about the Byzantine buildings in Side.
In 1955, he became an associate professor. This happened after he published his work on late Byzantine architecture in Istanbul. In the same year, he wrote a book called Istanbul, Petit guide à travers les monuments byzantins et turcs. This book is still very important for studying Istanbul's art history.
Teaching and Research Career
In 1963, Professor Eyice helped start the Byzantine Art Department at Istanbul University. The next year, he became the first full professor of this new department. He taught at many universities in Turkey, like Hacettepe University and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.
He also lectured abroad at places like the Sorbonne in Paris. He taught at the Universities of Geneva and Bologna too. Besides teaching, he did a lot of field research. He explored places like Binbirkilise in central Anatolia. He also studied Byzantine settlements around Silifke and in Thrace.
Since 1946, he wrote 15 books and over 500 papers. He also contributed to many encyclopedias. He continued his research and teaching until he passed away. His personal library has more than 30,000 rare books. These books cover Byzantine, Islamic, Turkish, and Ottoman history, art, and literature. This amazing collection is now kept at the Istanbul Research Institute.
Professor Eyice was a member of several research groups. One of these was the German Archaeological Institute. In 1955, he received the Légion d'honneur Medal from France. In the same year, he won a prize from the Turkish Academy of Sciences. In 2011, the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül, gave him the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Prix.
Semavi Eyice became a Professor Emeritus in 1990. This means he retired but kept his title. He was married to Kamran Yalgın since 1954.
Important Books
- Istanbul, Petit guide à travers les monuments byzantins et turcs Istanbul: Istanbul Matbaası, 1955
- Son devir Bizans mimarisi: Istanbul'da Palaiologos'lar devri anıtları Istanbul, 1963
- Recherches archéologiques à Karadağ (Binbirkilise) et dans la région de Karaman Istanbul, 1971
- İstanbul yazıları. Istanbul: Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu, 1992, ISBN: 9789757641155.
- Some Byzantine towns in Cilicia Tracheia In 150 years of German Archaeological Institute, Mainz 1981, pp. 204–209.
