the art of ebru

THE ART OF EBRU

(THE ART OF MARBLING PAPER)

Marbling is briefly described as the art of printing multi-colored swirled or stnone-like patterns on paper after handmade natural inks or paints are being dripped or sprinkled with a handmade brushes onto the surface of the thickened water.

There are different opinions about the origin of the word “Ebru”. The word “Ebre” which means (in Çağatay language) “moire, veined fabric, paper etc.” is believed to have first come through Silk Road to Iran and then there it changed into the word “Ebrî” which means “like cloud or cloudy”. Recorded as “Ebrî” in the oldest Ottoman sources, the word has been used as “Ebrû” for nearly one century.

By whom, when or how Ebrû was started to be practiced is unknown because of paper was just not durable enough and also the artists did not sign on their Ebrû papers in the past. However, some sources indicate that Ebrû was first practiced in 13. century in Turkestan and then came to Anatolia via Iran and grew simultaneously along with the Ottoman Calligraphy during the Ottoman State. It is thought that the history of this art goes back to the old times according to the oldest example of Ebrû in 1447 A.D. in Topkapi Place Museum and the treatise entitled as “Risâle-i Tertîb-i Ebrî” written in 1608 A.D. In the first half of the Seventeenth Century, Ebrû began to become very well known and named “Turkish Paper or Turkish Marble paper” all over Europe, thanks to travelers coming to Turkey. Traditionally used to line munuscript bindings and on the picture framing of calligraphies, Ebrû has become completely independent art in the last fifty years.

While all equipments used in classical Ebrû are natural, today some artificial ones are replaced with the natural ones through a movement which started in Europe. Although difficult we prefer to work in classical manner because it is one of the main part of the Islamic art as well as classically made arts are more durable. So we try to use natural equipments from paints, papers and brushes to water.

Among the great Ebrû masters whose names or works are available today Mehmed Efendi (nicknamed “Şebek”) who lived in 17. century, Hatib Mehmed Efendi (d. 1773), Şeyh Sâdık Efendi (d. 1846), Hezarfen Edhem Efendi (1829-1904), Sâmi Efendi (1838-1912), Aziz Efendi (1871-1934), Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976), Abdülkâdir Kadrî Efendi (1875-1942), Bekir Efendi (?), Mustafa Düzgünman (1920-1990).

A SHORT DESCRİPTİON OF THE MARBLING PROCESS

The paints taken from colourful rocks and soil as well as some plants are squashed with a hand stone (Desteseng) on a marble plaque. With this process, colors of ink or paint are made thin to the extend that they float on the surface of the water. Squashed paints are poured in the concentrated cans.

The brushes used in sprinkling paints are made from rose strip and horshair. The size of the brushes vary according to the place in which they are used.

A thick liquid is made by blending a type of gelatin (carregeanen) or astragalus with water. Then the water is poured into tray.

Each squashed paint is poured in application cans and then water and ox gall (bile) are added to them.

Then we are ready to begin to sprinkle the paints and practise “Ebrû” as far as we can imagine.

Some thin sticks are used to stir the floating colours and flowers if desired. The marbling stages of tulip are shown below.

After the patterns are practised in the marbling tank, the absorbent paper is gently laid onto the surface of the water. The paper is lifted off, rinsed, and hung up to dry.

by Hicabi Gülgen.