BIRD IMAGE IN TURKISH ART

Abstract

Cultures' acquaintance with the bird motif dates back thousands of years. In many civilizations, it can be mentioned that birds exist in all areas of life. When we look at the history of art, it is seen that the bird image is frequently used both in mythology and in visual expression forms. Since ancient times, birds have been associated with the sky in artistic descriptions and given mystical meanings. In the history of art, the bird image appears with different descriptions shaped according to the lifestyles, cultural structures, belief systems, literary, religious and political subjects of societies. When we look at the history of Turkish art, it has been observed that different depictions of the bird image are made in many areas, especially in ceramics, architecture, and rug motifs. In addition, swan, pigeon, eagle, phoenix, crane, crow and owl were frequently depicted as bird species.  In particular, it is understood that the crane was imaged in Göbekli Tepe. The owl is a symbol of wisdom and intelligence in different cultures, although it is associated with bad luck. However, in Greek mythology, it is depicted as a bird dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of fertility. In Turkish mythology, the goose is a very intelligent and knowledgeable bird. The important symbolic animals that are the subject of narratives about descent are birds such as eagles and falcons. Birds, which are a source of inspiration for people in art, have also been a source of inspiration in science. In myths, tales, myths and narratives, people are depicted flying like birds. In ancient Greece, Ikaros, the son of the Cretan architect Daidalos, is known as the first man to fly. The thought of being like a "bird", resembling a bird, returning to a bird in different times of cultures can be a dream, inspiration, thought, wish, prayer, legend, epic, etc. there are statements. Since the earliest times, the image of a bird has been shaped in people's minds in different ways. As with every tribe's cosmogony, the ancient Turks also had creation myths. It is seen that the bird image is also the subject of the Descent legends, as is the punishment of the men and women, who are angered by the devil, by turning them into birds. In addition, one of the most interesting examples of the place of the bird image in our culture is the don (disguise) motif. For example, in shamanism, there is a belief that the soul of the deceased is a bird. Especially the Phoenix figure has a different place in Turkish art. It is thought that the reflections of the bird figure in Turkish art are the continuation of a tradition and an indicator of a universal quality. In this context, the existence of the bird image in Turkish and world art maintains its importance today as it was in the past. In this article, the artist and his works, who have used the bird image in Turkish art from past to present, are emphasized. In the study, the literature review technique was applied in the qualitative research method. As a result, the bird image has inspired many artists for centuries and has become an indispensable subject of today's works.