Hûb u zişte nazar et: Beauty and Ugliness in the Pre-Modern Ottoman Empire

Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz

Article Details

Hûb u zişte nazar et: Beauty and Ugliness in the Pre-Modern Ottoman Empire

Authors:

Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz

Publisher:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Main Topics:

Geleneksel Türk Sanatları (Diğer)

Journal:

İSTEM Issue 43, pp.73-94

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001321991

pISSN:

1304-0618

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic thought evolved as part of Islamic aesthetics. In this aesthetic framework, the inseparable unity of beauty and results in the limited reflection of ugliness and badness in artistic works. The presence of specific principles governing beauty is noteworthy, with certain form-related principles such as proportion, symmetry, and harmony considered essential for beauty. Although the pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic conception lacks a theoretical framework, there appears to be a shared definition of beauty based on the presence of specific qualities. Given that the artist does not perceive this universally known and desired beauty from his own perspective, he openly shares it with everyone without resorting to manipulations or narratives that could influence the viewer. It is evident that the concept of the identity of beauty and goodness in aesthetics does not universally translate to the same understanding of art across cultures. In Ottoman culture, where beauty was highly valued, discussions about the bad and the ugly were deemed unworthy. While beauty was independently evaluated and defined ugliness was sought either in the opposition or absence of beauty. The traditional inclination is closely tied to the concept of ugliness in beauty theory. Besides aiming to illustrate the impact of this understanding on poetry and miniature art, the article summarizes the notions of beauty and ugliness in the pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic experience emphasizing the cultural coherence between aesthetic comprehension and artworks.

 Pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic thought evolved as part of Islamic aesthetics. In this aesthetic framework, the inseparable unity of beauty and results in the limited reflection of ugliness and badness in artistic works. The presence of specific principles governing beauty is noteworthy, with certain form-related principles such as proportion, symmetry, and harmony considered essential for beauty. Although the pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic conception lacks a theoretical framework, there appears to be a shared definition of beauty based on the presence of specific qualities. Given that the artist does not perceive this universally known and desired beauty from his own perspective, he openly shares it with everyone without resorting to manipulations or narratives that could influence the viewer. It is evident that the concept of the identity of beauty and goodness in aesthetics does not universally translate to the same understanding of art across cultures. In Ottoman culture, where beauty was highly valued, discussions about the bad and the ugly were deemed unworthy. While beauty was independently evaluated and defined ugliness was sought either in the opposition or absence of beauty. The traditional inclination is closely tied to the concept of ugliness in beauty theory. Besides aiming to illustrate the impact of this understanding on poetry and miniature art, the article summarizes the notions of beauty and ugliness in the pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic experience emphasizing the cultural coherence between aesthetic comprehension and artworks.

 Pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic thought evolved as part of Islamic aesthetics. In this aesthetic framework, the inseparable unity of beauty and results in the limited reflection of ugliness and badness in artistic works. The presence of specific principles governing beauty is noteworthy, with certain form-related principles such as proportion, symmetry, and harmony considered essential for beauty. Although the pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic conception lacks a theoretical framework, there appears to be a shared definition of beauty based on the presence of specific qualities. Given that the artist does not perceive this universally known and desired beauty from his own perspective, he openly shares it with everyone without resorting to manipulations or narratives that could influence the viewer. It is evident that the concept of the identity of beauty and goodness in aesthetics does not universally translate to the same understanding of art across cultures. In Ottoman culture, where beauty was highly valued, discussions about the bad and the ugly were deemed unworthy. While beauty was independently evaluated and defined ugliness was sought either in the opposition or absence of beauty. The traditional inclination is closely tied to the concept of ugliness in beauty theory. Besides aiming to illustrate the impact of this understanding on poetry and miniature art, the article summarizes the notions of beauty and ugliness in the pre-modern Ottoman aesthetic experience emphasizing the cultural coherence between aesthetic comprehension and artworks.

 Modern öncesi Osmanlı estetik düşüncesi İslâm estetiğinin bir parçası olarak gelişti. Bu estetik anlayışında güzel ve iyi, ayrılmaz bir bütünlük içinde olduğu için çirkin ve kötü, sanat eserine pek yansımaz. Güzellik için belirli ilkelerin varlığı dikkat çeker; oran, simetri ve ahenk gibi biçim ilkeleri, güzellik için açıkça gerekli görülür. Modern öncesi Osmanlı estetik tasavvurunda teorik bir çerçeve sunulmasa da belirli niteliklerin varlığı temelinde üzerinde uzlaşılan bir güzellik tanımının olduğu görülür. Sanatçı, herkesin bildiği ve bir şekilde arzuladığı bu güzelliği kendi bakış açısının eseri olarak görmeyeceği için muhatabını etkileyecek oyun ve kurgulara tenezzül etmeden yine herkesle açık bir şekilde paylaşır. Estetikte güzel ve iyi arasındaki özdeşlik düşüncesi, her kültürde aynı sanat anlayışını doğurmaz. Güzelin izini süren Osmanlı kültürü kötü ve çirkini konu etmemiştir. Geleneksel eğilim, güzellik kuramının çirkinlik kavramına bağlıdır. Bu anlayışın şiir ve minyatüre yansımalarını göstermeye ek olarak, makalede modern öncesi Osmanlı estetik tecrübesinde güzellik ve çirkinlik anlayışı özetlenirken, estetik anlayış ve sanat eserleri arasındaki kültürel bütünlük üzerinde durulmaya çalışılmıştır.

Article Details

Hûb u zişte nazar et: Beauty and Ugliness in the Pre-Modern Ottoman Empire

Authors:

Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz

Publisher:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Main Topics:

Geleneksel Türk Sanatları (Diğer)

Journal:

İSTEM Issue 43, pp.73-94

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001321991

pISSN:

1304-0618

Islamic Art

Beauty

Ugliness

Classical Turkish Poetry

Miniatureİslam sanatı

güzellik

çirkinlik

klasik Türk şiiri

minyatür

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz

Publisher: Necmettin Erbakan University

Main Topics: Geleneksel Türk Sanatları (Diğer)

Journal: İSTEM Issue 43, pp.73-94

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001321991

pISSN: 1304-0618

Issues

Authors:

Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz

Publisher:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Main Topics:

Geleneksel Türk Sanatları (Diğer)

Journal:

İSTEM Issue 43, pp.73-94

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001321991

pISSN:

1304-0618