Oil on canvas, 215 x 115 cm
“The story of how a small photograph, accidentally found in a bag, led to Feyhaman Duran’s journey to Paris and became a historical turning point in Turkish painting.”
While working as an art teacher at Galatasaray High School, Feyhaman Duran one day offered to paint the portrait of an elderly lady he knew. The old woman, saying that painting her portrait was pointless, took a picture of a little girl from her bag and gave it to Feyhaman Duran. Feyhaman Duran turned this picture into a portrait. Duran did not know the child whose portrait he painted, but later learned that this girl was the fourth daughter of Abbas Halim Pasha, a famous figure of the time. Abbas Halim Pasha, who was also the brother of Sait Halim Pasha, who served as Grand Vizier in the Ottoman Empire, commissioned portraits of his other five daughters and some acquaintances. Feyhaman Duran won Abbas Halim Pasha’s favor, and as a result, he was sent to Paris for education. Feyhaman Duran stated that this was a turning point for him. In this way, he took his place within the context of the generation known as the “Çallı Generation” or the “1914 Generation,” which brought Impressionism to Turkish painting. This oil painting on canvas depicts Princess Hatice Hanım, the wife of Abbas Halim Pasha. Dated 1916 and framed in gold, this painting shows how a small picture accidentally found in a bag transformed and grew over time, influencing Turkish art.
Reference:
Feyhaman Duran kimdi? – Türk Ressamlar [Date of Access: 27 November 2025]
