SALT RESEARCH STUDY SABİHA RÜŞTÜ BOZCALI
(Salt Research Archives)
Sabiha Rüştü Bozcalı, a notable Turkish painter and illustrator, was the second child of Handan Hanım, the artistic daughter of Minister of Interior Memduh Pasha, and Admiral Rüştü Pasha, the son of Minister of Navy Hasan Pasha from Bozcaada. Encouraged by her mother, she began painting at the age of five. She received her initial painting education under the tutelage of Ali Sami Boyar, a painter and museum director. Throughout her life, Bozcalı lived in Berlin, Munich, Paris, and Rome from the age of fifteen, working in the studios of distinguished artists such as Lovis Corinth, Moritz Heymann, Karl Caspar, Paul Signac, and Giorgio de Chirico.
Thanks to the artistic education she received in major cities, Bozcalı had the opportunity to work with Namık İsmail at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts (Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi) in 1928-1929. Although Bozcalı painted landscapes and still lifes, her portraits gained significant attention. Paul Signac, a Neo-Impressionist painter, praised her as "talented, with the sensitivity required by the art of painting, and who devoted herself completely to the difficult work of this profession."
The personal archive of Sabiha Rüştü Bozcalı (1904-1998) is housed at SALT Galata and encompasses sketches, portraits, landscape paintings, and her lesser-known designs. Bozcalı was among Turkey's first female illustrators. The collection includes extensive documents detailing her prolific life, such as images, exhibition catalogs, newspaper articles, postcards, and letters. Her appointment books provide insight into her painting schedule, creative projects, and daily activities, mentioning the people she interacted with and visited.
Sabiha Rüştü Bozcalı's works are significant not only for her artistic career but also for strengthening the place of women in the art world in Turkey. Her works are valuable not only aesthetically but also for reflecting the perspective on industrial and social changes during Turkey's modernization process. Bozcalı proved that female painters should not be limited to domestic subjects and became a pioneer by focusing on industrial production.
Between 1938 and 1940, she was sent to Zonguldak in 1939 as part of the Homeland Tours program organized by the Republican People's Party and People's Houses. Here, she painted the Kozlu Power Plant, Skip Installation, Karabük Iron and Steel Factory, Elevator (Incir Harmanı), Elevator Machine, Semi-coke Machine, Varagel, Semi-coke Factory, and Iron and Steel Factory. The aim of this program was to document modernizing and forming a new identity Turkey by designated artists.
In 1949, she began working as an illustrator for Milliyet newspaper, and from 1953 onwards, she also worked as a newspaper artist for Yeni Sabah, Hergün, Havadis, Cumhuriyet, and Tercüman. She was also one of the artists for Reşat Ekrem Koçu's Istanbul Encyclopedia.
The Sabiha Rüştü Bozcalı collection at SALT Research comprehensively documents the artist's rich and diverse artistic production. The archive includes Bozcalı's sketches, portraits, and landscape paintings, as well as her lesser-known designs. Additionally, it contains photographs, exhibition catalogs, newspaper clippings, postcards, and letters that provide detailed information about her life and career. Notable items in the collection include Bozcalı's crayons and erasers, photo albums from her student years at the Fine Arts Academy, personal notes, and documents.
Among the artworks examined are two drawings titled "Night Time" and "Landscape Study." "Night Time," created using watercolor, depicts a serene night scene, while "Landscape Study" offers a detailed exploration of nature. Another significant piece is "Caricature," a humorous and critical work drawn in ink, showcasing Bozcalı's satirical perspective. The third piece is a cover design for the album of the Fine Arts Academy, highlighting Bozcalı's talent in graphic design. The fourth and fifth items are a postcard and a pencil powder box owned by Bozcalı. These personal objects provide insight into the materials she used in her daily life.
This collection serves as a unique resource for those interested in exploring Bozcalı's artistic diversity and depth. Her works not only hold aesthetic value but also contribute significantly to Turkey's artistic and cultural history. The archive is of great importance to researchers and art enthusiasts, preserving Bozcalı's legacy for future generations.















