Sami Efendi (, Modern Turkish: Hattat Mehmet Sâmi Efendi) (1858-1912), was an Ottoman calligrapher.
Life and work He was born Mehmed Sami on 13 March 1838 in Haydarhâne district of Fatih in Istanbul.Uğur Derman, M., "Sami Eendi, İsmâil Hakkı", [Biographical Notes], Islam Encyclopedia, Online (in Turkish):; Bloom, G. and Blair, S.S., "Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, Vol. 3, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 180 His father was Mehmed Efendi, an official of the Quilt-makers Guild and his mother was Nefise Hanim.Uğur Derman, M., Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998 , p. 142; Bloom, G. and Blair, S.S., Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, Vol. 1, Oxford University Press, 2009, p.180
He studied calligraphy with Kibriszade Ismail Hakki Efendi and Haydar Bey (182-1870).Bloom G. and Blair, S., The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, Oxford University Press, 2009 Vol. 3, p. 180 He was also student of Sheikh Sadik Efendi, who had learned his art in 19th-century Bukhara and his students, including Sami, helped to carry it into the 20th century.Ocak, M., The Turks: Ottomans Vol. e 4, Yeni Türkiye, 2002, He was inspired by the work of Mustafa Raq'im (1757 - 1826)Bloom, G and Blair, S.S., Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, Vol. 3, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 180
He also learned the art of paper making and the art of marbling paper by studying with Edhem Efendi.Uğur Derman, M., "Sami Eendi, İsmâil Hakkı", [Biographical Notes], Islam Encyclopedia, Online (in Turkish):
His personal style was most evident with Celî. These plates were generally written on black paper with yellow colored ink, or sometimes with gold. Sami designed the most attractive designs for vowell signs, refined many aids to reading and also developed the tezînyat (decorations) and numbers. These techniques are still in use in modern calligraphy.Uğur Derman, M., Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998 , p. 19 The Tughra (monogram) found its "definitive shape" with Sami Efendi during the era of Abdulhamid II.Ga'bor, A and Masters, B.A. Encyclopedia of the Ottoman Empire, Infobase Publishing, 2010, p. 117
For many years, he taught at the Topkapi Palace. His students included many calligraphers who went on to have notable careers including: Nazif Bey, Huhiso Efendi, Puza Efendi,Uğur Derman, M., Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998 , p. 144-45 Okyay Necmeddin and Kâmil Akdik.Bloom, G and Blair, S.S., Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, Vol. 3, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 180
Following the proclamation of the Constitutional monarchy, he retired. He was paralyzed in his final years and died 1 July 1912. He was buried in the Hazrat Mosque Mosque. His former student, Hacı Kâmil Efendi (Akdik) wrote his epigraph with celî sülüs.Uğur Derman, M., "Sami Eendi, İsmâil Hakkı", [Biographical Notes], Islam Encyclopedia, Online (in Turkish):; Note that Bloom and Blair state that he was buried in the Cemetery of the Fatih Mosque, Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, OUP, 2009, vol. 3, p. 180
His work adorns fountains, mosques and gravestones in Istanbul.
See also Culture of the Ottoman Empire Islamic calligraphy List of Ottoman calligraphers Ottoman art Thuluth
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