A long journey with Pierre Loti’s 100 paintings

The opening ceremony of the exhibition, organized jointly by the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) and the French high school, was held on Monday. Speaking at the opening ceremony, İTO Chairman Murat Yalçıntaş noted that İstanbul was an inspiration for Loti, who wrote his first book in the city. “İstanbul is a magical city. İstanbul offered its beauty and culture to Loti, and consequently he wrote his first book, ‘Aziyade,’ also known as ‘Constantinople,’ in İstanbul in 1879. Loti became a cultural ambassador between Turkey and France and impartially introduced Turkish culture to the world,” noted Yalçıntaş, adding that many people will have a chance to see Loti’s works thanks to the exhibition.

A colloquium was held on May 10-11 to discuss Loti’s works, with panel discussions involving French Institute of Anatolian Studies (IFEA) Director Nora Şeni, author Bruno Vercier, IFEA political scientist Alexandre Toumarkine, Professor Necdet Hacıoğlu from Balıkesir University, Professor Bige Sükan from Ankara University and Professor Yücel Bulut from İstanbul University.

Loti: giving a voice to Turkey

Speaking at the second session of the colloquium on May 11, Bulut noted that Loti was always trying to give a voice to Turkey and the Turkish people. Stating that many people in Turkey admire Loti because of his works, Bulut pointed out that Loti was always praising Turkey in many countries. “There are still streets in İstanbul and Bursa named after Loti. It is a big indicator that Turks love him very much,” said Bulut. Bulut noted that Loti did not see the modern Republic of Turkey, founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923, as he died in the same year

The Pierre Loti coffeehouse, which was named after the French Turkophile, is very popular for its spectacular views over the Golden Horn. Located in İstanbul’s Eyüp district, the Pierre Loti coffeehouse is about six kilometers from the Galata Bridge in the Eminönü district.

The Eyüp Municipality is planning its own Loti commemoration in the next few months. According to the project, French painters will be invited to İstanbul to meet with Turkish painters at Pierre Loti Hill in Eyüp. The Turkish and French artists will paint İstanbul-themed paintings from Pierre Loti Hill over approximately two weeks.

Furthermore, the Eyüp Municipality and the Rochefort Municipality are preparing to become sister cities. In Turkey for a courtesy visit, Rochefort Mayor Grasset said the exhibition was wonderful, as the paintings offer a chance for all to see Loti’s journey. Stating that Loti was also a journalist, Grasset noted that cameras were not widely available in Loti’s time and therefore Loti started to paint to document various situations.

Eyüp Mayor İsmail Kavuncu also noted on Tuesday in a gathering with Grasset that Loti serves as a cultural bridge between Turkey and France. Kavuncu said it is important for them to be paired with Rochefort, where Loti was born and is buried. Kavuncu will also pay a courtesy visit to France with a delegation in June at the invitation of Grasset.

Pierre Loti was like a Turk

Loti was born Louis Marie Julien Viaud in 1850. Loti found himself in İstanbul following an incident known as “the event of Salonica.” The ship he was stationed on, a part of the French Mediterranean squadron arrived in Salonica on May 16, 1876.

While traveling the world extensively, Loti managed to combine the life of a sailor with that of a writer and attained the rank of lieutenant in 1881. After receiving his first command in 1898, he went on the reserve list in 1910. He wrote wherever he went, often about the experiences of a soldier or naval officer, journeys either personal or professional, many with a similar semi-autobiographical travelogue style. In 1887 he published a book on Japanese manners, “Madame Chrysanthème,” said to be an inspiration for “Madame Butterfly” and “Miss Saigon.”