Ebuzziya Mehmed Tevfik Numune-i Edebiyat-i Osmani  Ottoman printed literary anthology Kostantiniye Istanbul Matbaa-i Ebuzziya AH 6 Sevval 1330 September 18 1912

Ebuzziya Mehmed Tevfik Numune-i Edebiyat-i Osmani  Ottoman printed literary anthology Kostantiniye Istanbul Matbaa-i Ebuzziya AH 6 Sevval 1330 September 18 1912

544 pages 8vo 7.5 x 5.0 in Includes multiple photographs Bound in original deluxe pink decorative publishers binding with the title and kufic ornaments embossed on the spine Printed letterhead of the publishing house on the inner covers Binding exhibits minor age-related wear and slight tears overall in good condition

One of the first Westernstyle Ottoman prose anthologies Numune-i Edebiyat-i Osmani was compiled by the prominent journalist publisher and literary figure Ebuzziya Tevfik 18491913 The work presents a chronological selection of prose excerpts from leading Ottoman writers effectively serving as both an anthology and an informal literary history Originally compiled in Rodos Rhodes during Ebuzziya’s exile 18731875 the book provides a structured view of Ottoman prose from Sinan Pasa 15th century to Namik Kemal 19th century showcasing the evolution of Turkish literary style

The introduction mukaddime outlines the editorial selection criteria emphasizing a departure from the ornate rhymed prose seci of earlier periods in favor of a more natural and readable literary style The collection includes 17 prominent authors and 85 selected texts with an especially extensive section dedicated to Namik Kemal occupying nearly 200 of the 500 pages Other notable contributors include Fuzuli Koci Bey Naima Nedim Kani Hakki Pasa Sekbanbasi Mutercim Asim Akif Pasa Reshid Pasa Fuad Pasa Pertev Pasa Sinasi Ziya Pasa and Sadullah Pasa

Beyond simple text selections Numune-i Edebiyat-i Osmani also includes biographical notes literary critiques and contextual discussions making it an indispensable reference for the study of Ottoman literature Its structured approach and critical commentary helped define the modernization of Ottoman literary criticism and historiography

This 1912 edition published in the final years of the Ottoman Empire represents the sixth and final Ottoman printing of the work The book was reprinted in Arabic script six times between 1296 1879 and 1330 1912 and remained an influential text until its first Latin-script edition in 2015 A seminal literary and historical resource it remains a vital reference for Ottoman studies literary scholarship and the intellectual history of late 19th century Turkey