Osman Hamdi Bey

Since this blog has a little bit of everything, I thought it was about time I wrote a little about painters and paintings I admire. This is a small post about Osman Hamdi Bey's work.

 

 

Both of these paintings were done by the artist Osman Hamdi Bey. Not only did he create a variety of beautiful paintings, but he was also the founder of two museums in what is now Istanbul. As readers may know by now, I am particularly found of instruments, and I like the subtle-ness of the woodwind instrument behind the ladies back, the redness of the dress, the leaning forwards to greet the tortoise. I would love to see the painting live. In the second painting you see a woman reading the Qur'an. I like the religious connotations, the detail, the bright golden colour of her dress, her expression as she reads, the art in the background. The window in particular is wonderful.

 

I think in the future I will study Hamdi Bey's work and perhaps try to draw inspiration from it, though I have a feeling it'd be rather tricky.