Nazmi Ziya Güran was a Turkish Impressionist painter and art teacher. He was born in Istanbul in 1881, his father was a civil servant. He attended Vefa Lisesi, Turkey's first non-military high school, then studied at the Civil Service Academy. He was interested in art since he was a child, he asked his family to let him attend classes at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts but his request was denied. He managed to obtain some private tutoring from Hoca Ali Riza then, following his father's death in 1902, he enrolled at the Academy. He studied with the Italian Orientalist painter, Salvatore Valeri and the sculptor Osgan Efendi, but had some difficulty adapting to the school's conservative teaching methods and came into conflict with Osman Hamdi Bey, the Director. He went to Paris in 1908 and studied at the Académie Julian, the studio of Marcel Baschet and Lionel Royer, then he enrolled at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts and studied with Fernand Cormon. He made meticulous copies of paintings at the Louvre. He returned to Turkey after the First World War broke out in 1914. He was appointed director of Izmir Teacher Training School and went on to work as a schools inspector in Istanbul. He twice served as director of the School of Fine Arts, in 1918-1921 and 1925-1927. He died in 1937.

Early Life and Education

Nazmi Ziya Güran, a renowned Turkish Impressionist painter, was born in Istanbul in 1881. His father, a civil servant, inadvertently influenced his son's future artistic pursuits. Nazmi Ziya attended Vefa Lisesi, Turkey's first non-military high school, followed by studies at the Civil Service Academy.

Artistic Journey

Despite facing initial disapproval from his family, Nazmi Ziya Güran persevered in his artistic endeavors. He received private tutoring from Hoca Ali Riza, then enrolled at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts after his father's passing in 1902. His studies with Italian Orientalist painter Salvatore Valeri and sculptor Osgan Efendi laid the groundwork for his Impressionist style.

Parisian Sojourn and Later Life

In 1908, Nazmi Ziya traveled to Paris, where he attended the Académie Julian and studied under Marcel Baschet and Lionel Royer. He also enrolled at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, working with Fernand Cormon. Meticulous copies of Louvre paintings further honed his skills. Upon returning to Turkey after World War I, he served as director of the Izmir Teacher Training School and later as a schools inspector in Istanbul.

Legacy

Nazmi Ziya Güran's legacy is marked by his twice appointment as director of the School of Fine Arts (1918-1921, 1925-1927). His passing in 1937 left an indelible mark on Turkish art history. View some of his notable works at https://WahooArt.com/@/Nazmi-Ziya-Guran, including:

• Taksim Square (Oil On Canvas, Sakıp Sabancı Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye)
• Lady in Pink on a Chaise Longue (73 x 54 cm, Oil On Canvas, Sakıp Sabancı Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye)

Discover more about Turkish art and its pioneers at https://WahooArt.com, featuring an extensive collection of artworks, including those by Sami Yetik, another prominent Turkish Impressionist painter.