Levnî, Abdülcelil

Abdülcelil Levnî, (born 17th century, probably Edirne, Rumelia—died 1732, Constantinople), the most accomplished and famous Ottoman painter of the early 18th-century “Tulip Period.”

He went as a young man to Constantinople, where he studied at the academy of painting at the Topkapı Palace. He later became chief court painter to the Ottoman sultan Mustafa II, and he probably held the same post under the successor to the throne, Ahmed III.

Levnî painted at a time when the maxim of Ottoman society was “enjoy today,” and much of his work depicts entertainments. His masterpiece consists of more than 100 illustrations for the two-volume poem Surname-i Vehbi, by the Ottoman poet Vehbi. Levnî preferred to use softer colours and severely limited the amount of gold leaf illumination, two departures from the past. His paintings show a love of movement and action, strong powers of observation, and touches of humour.

His works also include a series of 50 plates, mostly portraits, showing the sultan, his family, and his court as well as formal portraits of Sultan Mustafa II and Ahmed III.