Şeker Ahmet Paşa: Bridging Ottoman Tradition and Western Artistic Innovation

Ahmet Şekerzade Ahmet Paşa, better known as Şeker Ahmet Paşa (1841–May 5, 1907), was a Turkish painter.

Born in the Üsküdar district of vibrant Istanbul in 1841, Ahmet Şekerzade Paşa received his first teachings at the initiative of his father, Ali Efendi, who enrolled him in school at the tender age of five. In 1855, he began his studies at the School of Medicine. Due to his talent for painting, he was appointed as an assistant to the painting professor at this school. However, without completing his studies in medicine, he redirected his education to the Military Academy. It was in this environment that he developed a strong inclination and talent for pictorial art, thanks to the anatomy and perspective lessons he received. His talent led him to work at the court of Sultan Abdülaziz. His works were displayed at the Paris Salon in 1869 and 1870. During his European trip, Sultan Abdülaziz saw his paintings at the exhibition and instructed Ahmet Ali to select and acquire works not only from the Paris exhibition but also from around Europe.

After extensive preparations, he managed to organize a painting exhibition, which included works by both Turkish and foreign artists, at the School of Arts and Industries (Mekteb-i Sanayi) in Sultanahmet (April 27, 1873). This exhibition was the first of its kind in the Ottoman Empire. In the same year, he was appointed as an aide-de-camp (a kind of assistant or honorary officer) to Sultan Abdülaziz I. This appointment is an important point in his life, as he became very close to the imperial court and played a role beyond the artistic realm. Although his passion for painting remained central in his life, his military career and his association with the Ottoman court also enabled him to access honorary positions that reinforced his standing within the Ottoman elite.

As an aide-de-camp, he had privileged access to the circles closest to the Sultan, which likely facilitated his promotions within the military. He held his second exhibition on July 1, 1875, at the Darülfünun (University) hall located in the building of the current Press Museum in Çemberlitaş. This exhibition featured his own paintings, works by other Turkish painters, and, mostly, works by Christian and foreign painters.

Because Sultan Abdülaziz admired his work, he sent him to Paris, following the example of Süleyman Seyyid. There, he deepened his studies under the initial tutelage of Gustave Boulanger and later with Jean-Léon Gérôme at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. During his years in Paris (1880 to 1887), he was influenced by the painters of the Barbizon School and came into contact with some of the most important artistic movements of the time, such as Realism and Impressionism. In 1883, the Istanbul School of Fine Arts was founded, becoming a crucial center for training new artists in a more Westernized style. Şeker Ahmet Paşa, as part of the first generation of professors at the school (1887), became especially known for being one of the first Ottoman artists to deviate from the tradition of miniatures and adopt a more realistic technique, influenced by European art. His works are characterized by a focus on the precise representation of nature, light, and color.

Some of his most notable works include:

• Landscapes: His landscapes were one of his defining marks, something unusual in Ottoman painting of the time. He painted both urban and rural landscapes, aiming to capture the beauty of nature in a detailed and vibrant way.

• Portraits: He also painted a series of portraits, often blending influences from Western painting with traditional Ottoman elements.

• Everyday scenes: His paintings often depicted scenes of daily life, such as people working in nature or in markets, with a realistic style of representation.

On one hand, there was the traditional Ottoman painting, centered on miniatures, book illustrations, and Islamic art, which prioritized ornamentation, abstraction, and religious or decorative motifs, without much emphasis on the naturalistic representation of the human figure or landscapes. On the other hand, there was the growing taste for the natural, changes in light, atmosphere, and the fusion of this with the movements of the Renaissance, Neoclassicism, and later, Realism and Impressionism, which led Ahmet Paşa to try to balance the influences of European painting with traditional Ottoman artistic elements.

Although he was influenced by these European movements, he continued to maintain a relationship with the artistic elements valued in the Ottoman Empire, such as an emphasis on decoration and symbolism. For example, in his landscapes and scenes, one can often notice ornamental details, the use of bright colors, and a certain idealization of nature, which gave his work a unique dimension. This represented an intermediary point between Ottoman tradition and European modernity.

Although traditional Ottoman painting was still highly valued at the time, Şeker Ahmet Paşa’s work helped lay the foundations for modern Turkish painting.

Later artists, such as Osman Hamdi Bey, would follow a similar trajectory by incorporating Western influences, but always with a unique touch that reflected the cultural and artistic richness of the Ottoman world. Today, his works are recognized as a bridge between traditional and modern painting, and his influence can be traced in the evolution of Turkish art throughout the 20th century.

Today, his works are exhibited in museums in Turkey and are considered one of the landmarks in the history of modern Turkish art. He died in 1907 from a heart attack and was buried in Eyüp Sultan, Istanbul.

His Military Career Also Ascended Alongside His Art

As mentioned in the first paragraph, Şeker Ahmet Paşa began his career in the Ottoman Army before dedicating himself to art. Although he is better known as a painter and academic, in his youth, as we indicated earlier, he joined the military and ascended through his merits, achieving a rapid rise. Below are the ranks he reached during his life:

• 1876: Promoted to Major.

• 1877: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

• 1880: Reached the rank of Colonel.

• 1885: Promoted to Brigadier General.

• 1890: Reached the rank of Lieutenant General.

Where Does the Nickname “Şeker” Come From?

Let’s remember that his full name is Ahmet Şekerzade Ahmet Paşa, but people knew him more commonly as Şeker Ahmet Paşa. “Şeker” means “sweet” in Turkish, and this word became associated with Şeker Ahmet Paşa due to his charming personality and his ability to win the affection of those around him. The story behind this nickname has its origins in an amusing episode at the court of Sultan Abdülaziz I.

The most commonly told anecdote is that Şeker Ahmet Paşa was called “Şeker Ahmet” (literally, “Ahmet the Sweet”) by Sultan Abdülaziz I due to a funny confusion. According to the most popular version of the story, Ahmet Ali Paşa was in the service of Prince Yusuf İzzettin Efendi (one of the Sultan’s sons), and at one point, Sultan Abdülaziz requested a servant to find Ahmet Ali. At that time, many people had this name, which caused confusion, so the servant didn’t know whom the Sultan was referring to. In this moment, Prince Yusuf İzzettin Efendi would have responded something like: “Ah, yes, you mean Şeker Ahmet,” using the word “şeker” to denote his sweetness and kindness, which was well known to those around him in the court. This response amused Sultan Abdülaziz, and from then on, Ahmet Ali became known as Şeker Ahmet Paşa.

The Tradition of the Paşa Painters

After providing a brief overview of Şeker Ahmet Paşa’s life and history, it is necessary to analyze the artistic environment in which he grew up to place him correctly.

In the Ottoman Empire, figurative painting had reached a certain level in the hands of the nakkâşlar (miniature painters) who were trained in the Enderun (the palace school) or in institutional structures such as Sufi convents and lodges where the theory and practice of religious teachings were conducted. The renewal that emerged with the declaration of the Tanzimat (a period of modernization and reform in the Ottoman Empire between 1839 and 1876) was a movement that spread from the Ottoman elite to the public. The fact that most of the painters who emerged, especially in the second half of the 19th century, were military men and were called “paşa painters” is due to this reason.

The opening of educational institutions like the Military Artillery School and the teaching of subjects that could be considered painting, such as descriptive geometry and linear drawing, as well as sending talented young people to foreign countries, especially France, led to this result. Thus, the Western understanding of painting entered our art.

As an interesting fact, did you know that the Istanbul School of Fine Arts (in Turkish: İstanbul Güzel Sanatlar Akademisi), where Şeker Ahmet Paşa taught, still exists today? However, it has undergone several changes in its structure and name over the years. Today, it is known as the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (in Turkish: Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi), in honor of Mimar Sinan, the famous Ottoman architect.