Visual interpretation of Yaşar Kemal's Three Anatolian Legends through the art of miniature painting

This research focuses on transforming the three folk narratives Köroğlu, Karacaoğlan, and Alageyik from Yaşar Kemal's Three Anatolian Legends into a visual narrative form through the traditional Turkish art of miniature painting. The study demonstrates that folk literature can be reinterpreted through visual arts and adopts an interdisciplinary approach. The research was conducted using qualitative methods with a descriptive and art-based model. Within the scope of the thesis, the three legends in Yaşar Kemal's work were analyzed in terms of plot structure, characters, and thematic elements, and corresponding visual designs were developed. Six specific scenes were selected and illustrated using traditional compositional, color, and technical elements unique to the art of miniature painting. In these original scenes, traditional miniature techniques such as flat coloring, hatching, stippling, dripping, curved lines (münhanî), and veil (tül) effects were employed. Watercolor was used for coloring, and acrylic ink was preferred for background applications. All artworks were produced on specially prepared, oval-cut paper suitable for miniature painting. The findings indicate that the miniature art form can effectively visualize not only historical events but also mythological and legendary folk narratives. Moreover, the study suggests that miniature art serves as a functional medium for transmitting cultural memory through visual means. In this respect, the research contributes to the integration of traditional arts with contemporary narratives and offers a unique perspective for conveying folk literature to new generations through a visual language.