Simon Agopyan
Simon Agopyan (born Istanbul, Ottoman Empire 1857 - died Istanbul May 16, 1921) was a prominent Ottoman landscape and portrait painter of Armenian descent.[1]
Life
Simon Agopyan was born in Samatya, a district in Constantinople. He completed his early education at the Horenyan School in Narlikapi and the Sahakyan School in Samatya. He took private lessons from the respect Armenian painter Telemak Ekserciyan and entered the Academy of Fine Arts in 1994, graduating in 1888.[1] He was awarded for first place for a large painting entitled The Imperial Gallery at Eminonu which he executed for his finals.[1] This painting was later purchased by Alexander Vallaury, an architect of the late Ottoman period. He continued his work in his studio in Samatya until 1895, and from then on worked in Beyoğlu. His address was 48 Rue Kechich, Ferikoy.[2]
From 1883 onwards Agopyan taught art at the Berberyan and Mezburyan schools in Üsküdar, and at the Esayan School in Taksim.[1] In 1911 his studio was above the Apollan Photography Studio, and one of the portraits commissioned by Apollon was that of Mehmed Resad which is in the Military Museum in Istanbul. He gave art lessons to the Ottoman princes and other amateurs, and one of his pupils was the painter Vahram Manavyan.[1] An exhibition of his work was help at Angelidis, a shop at 331 Cadde-i Kebir in Beyoğlu in 1896, and his works were last exhibited at the Societa Italiana. He won a prize at the Marseille Exhibition for a portrait of his father.[1]
Works
Important works by Agopyan include The Beggar from Van, Porters Crossing the Bridge in Karaköy, A Muslim Beggar, Turkish Neighborhood, Portrait of Sultan Abdulhamit II, and the Selamlik of Sultan Abdülaziz in Ortaköy (which was sold at an auction of Islamic art held by Ader Picard Tajan in Paris on November 18, 1988), six scenes of the Victory won by Gazi Ahmed Muhtar Pasa, The Medresse of Sofulu Seyyif Mehmed Pasa Mosque in Kadirga, a portrait of educationalist Reteos Berberian, A Dervish Beggar in the Courtyard of Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Üsküdar (1911), and a portrait of Mahrukizade Cafer Bey (1894; which is owned by his grandson Cem Mahruki). He also has paintings of Istanbul tradespeople such as simit sellers, fishmongers, and chimney sweepers. Agopyan also painted religious subjects. Examples of the latter are those portraying two of the apostles, Timothy and Parthugiemeos (1888; which he did for the Surp Kevork Church in Samatya)