Şahkulu (painter)

[7] The 1525-26 register of court artisans list him as the head draftsman (ressam) of the twenty-nine artists and twelve apprentices employed there, with high daily salary of twenty two akçe.

[8][9][4] The role of Şahkulu in formation of saz style "is of great importance, even though it is difficult to attribute firmly to his hand more than a small number of works".

2r) represents a dragon and was incorporated into an album, the preface of which was written in 1544–5; the other (Freer, 37.7) depicts a flying peri (angel) with a cup and wine flask.

His "refined brushwork and strong sense of design and dramatic movement are also seen in several unsigned drawings of dragons and peris and studies of blossoms and leaves".

[4] The importance given in later times to his name in the history of Ottoman art resulted in its "being attached to a great number of works of diverse styles and periods, not unlike the numerous 'signatures' of Riza and Bihzad".

This drawing of dragon entangled in swirling foliage under attack from a lion above while assaulting a phoenix is "certainly the greatest masterpiece of the [saz] style". [ 1 ] It belongs to the first phase of the style [ 2 ] and is attributed to Şahkulu. [ 3 ] Cleveland Museum of Art