Yahia Turki
Encyclopedia
Yahia Turki, born Yahia Ben Mahmoud El Hajjem in 1903 in Istanbul
, Turkey
, died 1 March 1969, was a Tunisian
painter
described as the "father of Tunisian painting".
father, Turki studied first at Sadiki College
and later at the Lycée Carnot de Tunis. At the same time, he attended a Koranic school
, where his interest was piqued, for the first time, by the arrangement of form and colour on writing tablets. He pursued his secondary school
studies at the Lycée Alaoui, where he had as a drawing
teacher Georges Le Mare, who discovered the talents of the young novice and where he applied himself to learning the basics of the discipline. Faced with family pressures, Turki abandoned his studies and joined the civil service
. He also received academic training at the Centre for art studies, which in 1930 became the Tunisian College of Fine Arts.
Turki experienced his first success in 1923 in the Tunisian salon. He later obtained a scholarship
and went to Paris
in 1927, where he kept company with Albert Marquet
and Lucien Mainssieux. In 1928, he stayed in France
and took part in the Colonial
Exhibition of French artists and the Salon des Indépendents
.
On his return to Tunis in 1935, he exhibited a series of works with Parisian themes. A member of the "Group of Ten", in 1956 he succeeded Pierre Boucherle as the president of the Tunisian School, a post he occupied until his death. He also became the vice-president of the Tunisian salon.
At age 52, Turki married a Tunisian, and had a daughter named Nazly.
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, died 1 March 1969, was a Tunisian
Demographics of Tunisia
The majority of modern Tunisians are Arab-Berber orArabized Berber, and are speakers of Tunisian Arabic. However, there is also a small population of Berbers located in the Jabal Dahar mountains in the South East and on the island of Jerba...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
described as the "father of Tunisian painting".
Biography
Born in Istanbul to a Turkish mother and a DjerbianDjerba
Djerba , also transliterated as Jerba or Jarbah, is, at 514 km², the largest island of North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia.-Description:...
father, Turki studied first at Sadiki College
Sadiki College
Sadiki College, also known as Collège Sadiki, is a lycée in Tunis, Tunisia. It was established in 1875. Associations formed by its alumni played a major role in the early constitutionalist movement in the country....
and later at the Lycée Carnot de Tunis. At the same time, he attended a Koranic school
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
, where his interest was piqued, for the first time, by the arrangement of form and colour on writing tablets. He pursued his secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
studies at the Lycée Alaoui, where he had as a drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
teacher Georges Le Mare, who discovered the talents of the young novice and where he applied himself to learning the basics of the discipline. Faced with family pressures, Turki abandoned his studies and joined the civil service
French Civil Service
The French Civil Service is the set of civil servants working for the French government.Not all employees of the state and public institutions or corporations are civil servants; however, the media often incorrectly equate "government employee" or "employee of a public corporation" with...
. He also received academic training at the Centre for art studies, which in 1930 became the Tunisian College of Fine Arts.
Turki experienced his first success in 1923 in the Tunisian salon. He later obtained a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
and went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1927, where he kept company with Albert Marquet
Albert Marquet
Albert Marquet was a French painter, associated with the Fauvist movement.-Life and work:Marquet was born in 1875 at Bordeaux. In 1890 he moved to Paris to attend the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs, where he met Henri Matisse. They were roommates for a time, and they influenced each other's work...
and Lucien Mainssieux. In 1928, he stayed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and took part in the Colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
Exhibition of French artists and the Salon des Indépendents
Société des Artistes Indépendants
—The Société des Artistes Indépendants formed in Paris in summer 1884 choosing the device "No jury nor awards" . Albert Dubois-Pillet, Odilon Redon, Georges Seurat and Paul Signac were among its founders...
.
On his return to Tunis in 1935, he exhibited a series of works with Parisian themes. A member of the "Group of Ten", in 1956 he succeeded Pierre Boucherle as the president of the Tunisian School, a post he occupied until his death. He also became the vice-president of the Tunisian salon.
At age 52, Turki married a Tunisian, and had a daughter named Nazly.