Egrikapili Mehmed Rasim Efendi


Egrikapili Mehmed Rasim Efendi was an Ottoman calligrapher and poet.

Life and work

Born in the Eğrikapı district of Istanbul, he became known as Eğrikapılı after the place of his birth. His father, Yusuf Efendi, was the imam of the Molla Aşkî Masjid and an accomplished calligrapher.
As a child, Eğrikapılı studied with his father, and later became a pupil of the court calligrapher, Yedikuleli Seyyid 'Abdullah Efendi. He received his ijazah in 1705.
Mehmed Rasim gained a reputation for his work and became a major court calligrapher in the Tulip period during the reign of Sultan Ahmed III. He was appointed calligraphy teacher at the Galata palace in 1714 and later at the Topkapi Palace in 1737. He is noted for copying over 60 manuscripts of the Kuran as well as executing many inscriptions, including on the fountain of Saliha Sultan at Azap Kapi in Constantinople. He was also skilled at Paper marbling.
Rasim Mehmed was a well-educated man and he wrote poetry in three different languages.
He died of tuberculosis in 1169 and was buried in a church outside Eğrikapı. His student, Mestcizade Ahmed Efenci prepared his epitaph.