Celal Esad Arseven (1876-1971) was a Turkish painter, architect, historian, and writer who is best known for his monumental work Sanat Ansiklopedisi (Art Encyclopedia), which is considered as the first comprehensive art encyclopedia in Turkish language. The encyclopedia covers various aspects of art history, such as architecture, painting, sculpture, music, literature, and folklore, from ancient times to the 20th century. It also includes biographies of prominent artists and scholars, as well as illustrations, plans, diagrams, and facsimiles of original documents.
The first edition of Sanat Ansiklopedisi was published in five volumes between 1943 and 1953 by the Ministry of Education in Ankara. The encyclopedia was based on Arseven's extensive research and personal observations, as well as his translations of various sources from French, German, English, and Arabic. Arseven aimed to provide a comprehensive and objective overview of the artistic heritage of Turkey and the world, as well as to promote the appreciation and understanding of art among the Turkish public. He also hoped to contribute to the development of Turkish art and culture by introducing new concepts and terminology.
The second edition of Sanat Ansiklopedisi was published in 1989 by the Istanbul Municipality Culture Foundation. The edition was revised and updated by a team of experts, who added new entries and illustrations, as well as an index of Turkish terms. The edition also included an introduction by Ekrem Işın, who praised Arseven for his pioneering and influential work on art history in Turkey. The second edition was also digitized and made available online by the Turkish History Foundation.
The Sanat Ansiklopedisi is a valuable source of information and inspiration for anyone interested in art history and culture. It is also a testament to the life and work of Celal Esad Arseven, who devoted himself to the study and promotion of art in Turkey. The encyclopedia can be downloaded for free from the following link: [Sanat Ansiklopedisi PDF Free].