Mihri Müşfik Hanım is one of the first female artists in the history of Turkish painting. Born in Istanbul on 26 February 1886, she passed away in New York in 1954. Recognized for her painting both in Türkiye and abroad, she served as a role model for women artists. As one of the earliest female painters of the Ottoman Empire, she took important steps toward the acquisition and recognition of women in art, particularly known for her portrait works.

YOUTH AND EDUCATION

Mihri Müşfik Hanım was born in the Bahariye neighborhood of Kadıköy, the daughter of Dr. Mehmet Rasim, one of the leading physicians of her time. Her family’s affluent and educated background enabled her to encounter art at an early age.

Her interest in painting emerged at the age of small and she began taking private art lessons. Her training under the Italian painter Fausto Zonaro helped her develop an understanding of the West style. In 1906, she continued her education at the Académie de France in Rome and later studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. During these years, she received painting instruction in Europe and mastered the art of portraiture.

On the Way to Letta Asım Baloy, circa 1911–1912, Oil on Canvas, 178.5 × 96.5 cm, MSGSÜ Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture

CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS

After completing her education, Mihri Hanım returned to Istanbul and in 1914 took up a position at the İnâs Nefîse Mektebi in Istanbul. This institution was the first to provide formal art education to female students, and Mihri Hanım served as its first female administrator. She also provided her students with opportunities to paint outdoors.

In 1918, Mihri Hanım held her first solo exhibition in Istanbul. She gained international recognition in 1928 with a solo exhibition at the Maziroff Gallery in New York. Her work focused primarily on portraiture, and she painted portraits of prominent figures such as Atatürk and Pope Benedict XV like.

Portrait of Hacı Mehmed Said Efendi, Deputy of Harput, oil on canvas. 90 x 70 cm, Private Collection

PERSONAL LIFE

In addition to painting, Mihri Hanım was interested in literature and music, and produced works in these fields as well. She centered her life around art and undertook significant efforts to broaden access to Western-style education in Türkiye. Mihri Hanım married Müşfik Bey in her first marriage and divorced him in 1922. During her years of study in Europe, she focused intensely on her art and personal life.

Self-portrait

LATER YEARS AND DEATH

After moving to New York in 1928, Mihri Hanım continued painting portraits of notable individuals and worked as a visiting professor of painting at various universities. Her artistic style and approach clashed significantly with the social structure of her time. Consequently, she chose to continue her artistic career abroad. Mihri Müşfik Hanım died in poverty in New York in 1954.

New York Times, April 16, 1932, in front of Mihri Rasim’s portrait of Roosevelt