Research on the colophons of eight manuscripts dated 15. and 16. centuries selected from the illuminated manuscripts catalogue held by the National Art Library

ABSTRACT After Islam, the evolution of Turkish illumination art, with the characteristics attained, has reached its highest stage in Ottoman Period. Today, the art of illumination still exists in with the efforts to create new practice areas for this art. The finest samples of Turkish illumination art are held by the official and private libraries and personal collections in Turkey. There are also lots of works of art, including the samples of Turkish illumination art, in the libraries and collections outside Turkey. The National Art Library in London is one of them. In the Illuminated Manuscripts Catalogue of this library, there listed forty one manuscripts classified in three groups as "Arabic", "Persian"and "Turkish". Eight of these manuscripts have formed the subject of the thesis in order to be a related source for the researchers. The art of illumination in the period they are produced have been introduced and they are examined according to the style that their composition, motif and colour shows. Although the manuscripts in The Illuminated Manuscripts Catalogue are highly destroyed and destructed, they are very well kept in this library. However, one can say that they are not the perfect samples baring their production periods. During the research, among all the manuscripts very few samples show the characteristics of their periods are observed. On the other hand, the bookbindings shows sumptuous decoration. The thesis consists of four chapters: İn the first chapter, The National Art Library and the Victoria and Albert Museum are introduced; there has given information about the history, the collections and the services of the library. In the second chapter, there has given information about the Arabic, Persian and Turkish illumination styles of 15. and 16. centuries. In the third chapter, the manuscripts chosen to be the subject of the thesis are classified with their photographs and drawings. And in the fourth chapter, the photographs and the explanations of the two works referring to the thesis take place. One is the reproduction of a frontispiece and the other is a uniqie double frontispiece design.