Oil on canvas
Turkey, circa 1900
Diyarbakirli Tahsin (1874/75-1937) – Turkish painter of seascapes
Signed ‘Tahsin. D.‘ lower right
Golden stucco frame
Overall dimensions, framed: 52 x 71 cm
Good condition
Provenance: German private collection
The artist Diyarbakirli Tahsin with great talent transferred his passion for the sea to the canvas. His masterful seascapes are influenced by the Impressionist style and are traded internationally. The auction record for a marine picture was set at 160,000 Euros in 2013

The present painting dates back to around 1900 and shows the Bosporus in an atmospheric evening mood. It is the work of the Turkish artist Diyarbakirli Tahsin who has unfolded all his passion for the sea and the atmosphere at that particular place in Istanbul. Tahsin, known for his emotionally charged seascapes, also presents his talent to transform the colors of the sunset directly to the canvas. Interestingly, the artist consciously pursued the Impressionist style which had, in fact, long been overcome in Europe. Accordingly, he has painted the most subtle verspertine play of light and shade with soft and skillful brushstrokes. In the end one may also suppose that the artist integrated his personal, local relation to Istanbul’s turbulent history, too.



The painting is in good condition considering its age. The canvas is unlined and shows some rubbing along the edges due to framing. The impasto areas with some craquelure, some lifted particles are laid down skillfully as well as a tiny loss of color expertly has been retouched. At the outer right margin near the edge of the stretcher with a tiny hole. The work is signed at the lower right ‘Tahsin. D.‘. The gilt stucco frame is in good condition with small traces of age and use. The overall dimensions of the framed painting are 52 x 71 cm, the dimensions of the stretcher are 36 x 55.5 cm.



Diyarbakirli Tahsin (1874/75-1937)

Diyarbakirli Tahsin, named after his birthplace Diyarbakirli, is considered one of the most important Turkish artists of the early 20th century. He mainly depicts the sea, whose multi-faceted spectacles characterize his oeuvre. Tahsin studied at the Military Academy in Istanbul, which he left in 1895 as a cavalry officer. Parallel to his successful military career, he was promoted to the rank of major, Tahsin was constantly active as a painter. Between 1914 and 1918 he served in the Public Art Institute of the General Staff and was commissioned numerous depictions of naval battles. In addition, Tahsin also produced masterful paintings that were purely depicting atmospheric seascapes. Tahsin’s main artistic reference was Impressionism, but his oeuvre was also influenced by Romanticism. His works are traded internationally and are, for example, part of the collections of the Naval Museum in Istanbul.

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