20.08.2025 03:11
The Iranian miniature artist Yakup Cem, known as the painter of light, passed away due to a heart attack he suffered in Bodrum. Cem's funeral will be held tomorrow at the Karşıyaka Cemetery in Ankara.
The Iranian miniature artist and painter Yakup Cem passed away due to a heart attack while swimming in Bodrum. The funeral of Cem, known in the art community as "the painter of light," will be held tomorrow after the afternoon prayer at the Ahmet Efendi Mosque in Ankara's Karşıyaka Cemetery.
TRT news anchor and painter Çağatay Gökmen expressed his deep sorrow over the sudden death of his mentor Yakup Cem, who had been living in Turkey for many years, stating that his painting titled "Sacred Relics" had recently found a buyer for a high price.
WHO IS YAKUP CEM?
Born in 1949 in the city of Tabriz, Iran, Yakup Cem developed an interest in painting from his childhood years. He continued his studies under Hacı İslamiyan. Throughout his artistic career, Cem produced works in the fields of illumination, miniature, and oriental painting; he held exhibitions at Oxford University, events celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Ottoman Empire in Paris, California State Art University in Fullerton, Los Angeles, and in New York. The artist, who served as a lecturer at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, had been living in Turkey for 17 years.
Cem used various materials such as leather, bone, horn, gold, and jewelry in his works, emphasizing patience, delicacy, and emotionality. He created detailed productions using special brushes and magnifying glasses that he prepared himself. Notable for the special techniques he developed in oil painting, Cem skillfully employed gold application and relief methods, while in his recent works, he had focused more on oil painting.