Who is Melek Celal Sofu? (1896 Istanbul – 1976 Munich)
She is one of the first Turkish female painters and sculptors. Apart from painting and sculpture, he was also interested in handicrafts such as embroidery, calligraphy and illumination. She published books that introduced the ancient masters of calligraphy and Turkish embroideries and ornaments to the world.
He was born in Istanbul in 1896. She belongs to the “Tepedelenliler” family. His father was Miralay (Colonel) Ziya Bey.
He attended İnas Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi as a guest student; She worked in Nazmi Ziya Bey’s workshop here. With the support of his family, he went to Paris and studied painting at the Julian Academy for a while. He became a student of Louis Sue, Andre Platson and Pierre Poisson.
On October 14, 1918, she married lawyer Cypriot Celal Sofu Bey. The couple’s house in Moda Çayırı served as a cultural house where famous people from the fields of literature and art were hosted. The artist has a son from this marriage. Melek Hanım lost her first husband in 1946.
She made her second marriage to German Doctor Lampe and moved to Munich. After Lampe’s death at the age of 98, he was bedridden for many years due to an illness. She passed away in Munich on September 15, 1976.
Artistic Perspective
His books about Turkish embroideries and ancient calligraphy masters are considered his greatest contribution to the world of art. He has two books written about Sheikh Hamdullah and Calligrapher Kamil Akdik and a study on Turkish hand embroidery. She has prepared a work in French about the Topkapi Museum. He prepared two books by Tuğrakeş İsmail Hakkı Altınbezer, Bahaettin Tokatlıoğlu and Necmettin Okyay, but did not have the opportunity to publish them.
Celal Esad Arseven describes him as "a realist artist with impressionist tendencies". Among her works in the field of sculpture are the Bust of Polish painter and sculptor Bilinsky, the bust of Saliha Cimcoz, her neighbor in Moda, and the bust of her son Ziya Sofu. Ms. Melek, who participated in many group exhibitions, organized a personal exhibition in Munich in 1964.
She has a very valuable collection of Turkish embroidery.
His works can be found in the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum and the Rezan Has Museum. His private letters and photographs are in the Doğan Paksoy collection.
Books
Melek Celal Lampe, Le Vieux Serail des Sultans, Preface de M. Albert Gabriel de l' Institut de France. Association des Amis d'Istanbul Touring et Automobile Club de Turquie, 2eme Edition, Istanbul, 1963.
Melek Lampe, Volkskunst der Türkei - Sammlung Melek Lampe im Münchner Stadtmuseum, Druck: M. Saupe & Co., im Auftrag, München 1959.
Melek Celal, Şeyh Hamdullah, Istanbul, 1948.
Melek Celal, Turkish Embroidery, Istanbul, 1939.
Melek Celal, Reisülhattatin-Kamil Akdik, Istanbul, 1938.
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