Şefik Bursalı

Who is Şefik Bursalı? (1903 Bursa – 1990 Ankara)

He was born in Bursa in 1903. He studied at the İbrahim Çallı Workshop at the Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, which was then known as Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi. He graduated from school with first place. Starting from 1923, he participated in Galatasaray and Academy exhibitions with his views of Bursa. He studied painting in art centers in Europe for a while. After returning home, he worked as an art teacher in Izmir, Konya and Istanbul; From 1936 he became a lecturer at Ankara State Academy of Fine Arts. In 1987, he was given the title of professor by Mimar Sinan University. He died on April 20, 1990.

The painter, who generally deals with the historical and touristic views of Konya, Bursa and Istanbul in his paintings, has managed to immortalize his birth city, Bursa. He gained fame with his Selçuk and Mevlana themed paintings, which he painted under the influence of his teaching period in Konya. At the request of Atatürk, his works were exhibited in various cities of the Soviet Union and Europe in 1937-1938.

The house where he lived in Ankara was organized as Şefik Bursalı Museum House by the Ministry of Culture upon the will of the painter. This museum-house is the first private museum in the field of painting.
The street where he lived and an art gallery in Bursa were named after him. Additionally, his bust is located in Kültürpark in Bursa.