Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Photography Collection: The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect
The Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Photography Collection, preserved at the Istanbul Research Institute archives, is a rich visual resource that opens a window onto the life and interests of an architect. Initially comprising 391 glass negatives, 58 negatives, 14 photographs, and 1 diapositive—a total of 464 archival items—the collection documents not only Koyunoğlu’s architectural work, but also details of his military years, travels, daily life, and professional observations.
Self-portrait of Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu, Ankara, early 1920s. Suna and İnan Kıraç Founrdation (SVIKV) Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Photography Collection, AHK_000193
Born in Istanbul in 1893 into a distinguished Ottoman family, Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu was the grandson of Abdullah Refet Bey, a progressive scholar, orator, and poet. His father, İsmet Bey, served as the Qadi of Gebze, while his mother, Fatma Virditer Hanım, was raised in the imperial palace. From an early age, he developed a keen interest in art and photography; the black box he spotted in a stationery shop window in Beyazıt became his first camera. He took private painting lessons from Hoca Ali Rıza, whom he met through Osman Hamdi Bey, and later won first place in the entrance exam for the Department of Architecture at the Imperial School of Fine Arts (Sanâyi-i Nefîse Mektebi). During his studies, he apprenticed at the renowned Phebus Photography Studio, worked as Giulio Mongeri’s assistant, and traveled across Anatolian cities to survey and photograph architectural monuments. He volunteered in the Balkan War, never parting from his camera despite the hardships of the front. In the First World War, he was sent to the Caucasian Front, once again documenting Anatolia’s architectural heritage on glass negatives under difficult conditions. In 1919, he married Mübeccel Hanım in Erzurum, and later returned with his family to occupied Istanbul. In 1920, he opened the “Underground Photography Studio” on Bâbıâli Street, one of the most innovative studios of the period. At the same time, he worked as a photojournalist for the newspaper İleri. The weapons of the National Struggle were hidden in his studio, and the tensions he experienced with occupying soldiers became some of the most adventurous episodes of his life.
Skiing recreation during military service, Sarıkamış, First World War. Suna and İnan Kıraç Founrdation (SVIKV) Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Photography Collection, AHK_000220
Although Koyunoğlu is best known as the architect of the Ethnography Museum in Ankara, the collection reveals his multifaceted personality. His photographs capture not only architecture and landscapes but also scenes from everyday life of the period.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque from the direction of the Hippodrome, Istanbul. Suna and İnan Kıraç Founrdation (SVIKV) Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Photography Collection, AHK_000412
From this body of material, the exhibition “The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect” was born, offering a curated glimpse into the stories the collection holds. The exhibition invites visitors to follow Koyunoğlu’s journeys and discoveries through his lens. Click here to visit the exhibition page.
The collection not only reflects Koyunoğlu’s personal pursuits but also opens up numerous possibilities for researchers. Architectural details, cityscapes, military and travel scenes in his photographs provide rich material for new readings on the cultural, social, and spatial history of the early republican era. In this respect, the collection has significant potential as a resource for studies in architecture, urban history, visual culture, and collective memory.
The adventure of the collection did not end with the opening of the exhibition. Following its opening, an additional 92 glass negatives, 62 acetate negatives, and 156 photographs were donated to the Institute. The collection thus grew to a total of 483 glass negatives, 62 acetate negatives, 172 photographs, and 1 diapositives—718 archival items in all. These new materials will soon be made available to researchers.
The collection can also be accessed online: Explore the Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Photography Collection.
For those who wish to see more, the exhibition “The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect” can be visited at the Istanbul Research Institute until 17 May 2026.
