A Treatise on the Art of Calligraphy in Central Russia in the Early 20th Century

Abstract

The art of Islamic calligraphy has undergone continuous development throughout its historical journey. During this process, risales (treatises) on the training of calligraphy and biographies (tezkireler) of calligraphers were penned. These works not only documented the technical aspects and stylistic features of the art of Islamic calligraphy but also elucidated its place within Islamic civilization and its influence on cultural heritage. One such work, and the subject of our study, is the treatise authored by Osman Nûrî Akçokraklı. Osman Nûrî Akçokraklı, an intellectual from Crimea, was born in 1879. Recognized for his erudite personality during his lifetime, he significantly contributed to the cultural life of Crimea through his writings and ideas. Among his scholarly works in the fields of history and art, his treatise titled Hutût-ı İslâmiyye ve Rûsiyye-i Vustâ Ehl-i İslâminin Andan Hissesi (The Islamic Scripts and the Contribution of Central Russia’s Muslims), published in 1900 at the I. Boraganskiy Printing House in St. Petersburg, holds particular importance as it addresses the art of Islamic calligraphy within the territories of Russia during that period. This article examines the aforementioned treatise, translates its content into modern Turkish, and focuses on the topics addressed by Akçokraklı. The study aims to introduce this previously unpublished and unexplored treatise to the world of art and to facilitate a deeper understanding of its content. In the treatise, the reasons behind the diminishing interest in Islamic calligraphy among Muslims living in Russian territories are critically analyzed. Additionally, the state of calligraphy education in those lands and the impact of printing on the art of Islamic calligraphy are discussed in detail. Akçokraklı’s work offers a significant perspective on the art of Islamic calligraphy and serves as a crucial source reflecting the cultural and artistic outlook of its time. The treatise is significant not only as a source reflecting the artistic understanding of its period, but also, in terms of its content, as a historical, critical, and cultural document.