A formal analysis and comparative evaluation of the works of contemporary Republican era artists Zeki Faik İzer, Sabri Berkel, Cemal Bingöl, and Burhan Doğançay

Republican-period Turkish art reflects the aesthetic and social manifestations of modernization. In this context, Zeki Faik İzer, Sabri Berkel, Cemal Bingöl, and Burhan Doğançay developed a contemporary artistic language with their unique styles. The aim of this study is to examine the aesthetic, technical, and thematic aspects of these artists' works and to reveal their formal similarities and differences. In the research, a formal analysis was conducted on four works from each artist, using a specially structured evaluation scale based on composition, color, line/contour, texture, and spatial depth. The analyses were supported by the opinions of ten field experts, and both individual work evaluations and comparative findings were systematically presented. The findings demonstrate that a planned and holistic sense of composition is common among the artists, yet there are differences in formal elements such as rhythmic stain distributions, geometric abstraction, density-centered constructions, and collage-like surfaces. The use of color, line/contour, texture, and spatial depth also acquires unique functions for each artist. In conclusion, although the four artists share a modernist aesthetic approach, each has developed original interpretations within their own artistic language. Form, color, texture, and spatial arrangements function not only as aesthetic choices but also as cultural means of expression. This study contributes significantly to Turkish painting by revealing how modernist aesthetic tendencies have been interpreted by different artists. Keywords: Republican Period, Abstract Art, Modernism, Formal Analysis