Duvar Resimli Apartmanlar (19. Yüzyıldan 1960'lara)

Abstract

Wall paintings are a key topic in art history. Apartments are one of the structures where we can trace wall paintings. The first apartments were built in Istanbul in the 19th century and they gradually became the most preferred architectural style. This thesis explores wall painting art in the context of apartments, covering a period from the 19th century to the late 1960s. The apartments and wall paintings examined in this study were identified through field research focused on examples in Istanbul. In the field studies conducted across various districts such as Beyoğlu, Şişli, Fatih, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy and Üsküdar, over 100 apartments were identified, with 85 of them included in this study, examining more than 200 wall paintings. Additionally, painted decorations were also among the works examined. This thesis demonstrates the continuity of wall paintings from the Ottoman to the Republican periods, dating the works and creating a chronological study. Wall paintings were analyzed based on themes, materials and techniques and they were evaluated in the context of politics, migration and economy, to explore how the changing conditions of the period were reflected in them. Among wall paintings, the recurrent presence of a common theme created by artists over many years has been identified, and the significance of this composition in the memory of both artists and society has been discussed. Additionally, efforts were also made to identify the artists behind these wall paintings. The thesis revealed the involvement of two groups: academic and self-taught painters. Their differences were assessed based on their works. Furthermore, biographies of identified artists were compiled, Special emphasis was placed on the visual documents utilized by the artists, and comparisons were made with the wall paintings to theorize about dispersed images. This thesis represents the first comprehensive scientific study on apartments with wall paintings. While examining examples of such paintings, it demonstrates the continuous creation by artists from the Ottoman to the Republican periods, highlighting apartments as an intersection of tradition and innovation.