The analysis of semi-stylized motifs in the fascimile of divân of muhibbî registered in T.5467 İstanbul University Library within the framework of the location, origin and drawing of the motifs

The calligrapher house of Sultan Kanûnî Period is an era in which various magnificent works of Turkish ornament were revealed. The head artist of the period, Kara Memî, created a different style in Turkish ornament through his "semi-stylized flower motifs" by stylizing the flowers of nature. The distingue illustrations of the aforementioned authentic style of Kara Memî can be observed in the Dîvâns that Suleiman the Magnificent wrote as "Muhibbî", his pseudonym. Within this study, the analyses of the relevant Dîvâns are imposed upon the facsimile of the copy dated 1566, registered in T.5467 Istanbul University. In our study, semi-stylized motifs in the ornament of this work were addressed exclusively and these were assessed within the scope of classical pattern drawing rules. Therefore, primarily, the patterns of semi-stylized motifs were determined and classified regarding their most significant features to the point of their "location", "origin" and "drawing", furthermore documented as page and number. It is observed that, in the design of the patterns, the ornamentation rules are performed analytically. It can be confirmed that the aspects purported to be mistakes at first glance to the ornamentations in the work are in fact cleverly applied rules. On the contrary to the continuing spirals, particularly in the classical style, short branches or designs created with one or two scrolls are observed in Kara Memî's edging ornamentations in which gold is predominately used. One of the most significant distinctions among those examples is that the edges of the spirals consisting of "hatâyî motif group" are completed with semi-stylized motifs, unlike the tradition. Taking into account the fact that a pattern considers a motif or a pattern, which is absent in itself, as a departure point, it can be agreed that it is actually "an interpretation" rather than an exception. We encounter, Kara Memî's choice of using the drawings of the depictions of semi stylized flowers as interring looking, independent single stems and bunches in addition to abundant piles of leaves, the horizontal and vertical placement of semi stylized motifs in the lines, in the ornamentations we analyze as the most significant demonstrations of the characteristics of his style. On the other hand, even though there are few, extraordinary technics on the designs of a spiral rotating within itself or a broken branch can be observed, occasionally. Those exclusive features are highlighted with colors and shown at the end of the study with the drawings made with a brush.