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The Master Teaches His Apprenticenot Marbling, but its EthicsEthics is the main element of our traditionalarts, and the master actuallyteaches the ethics while he is teachinghis apprentice an art. Certainly, this iswhat Mr. Duzgunman did while teachingmarbling to Mr. Babaoglu, as he himself wastaught by Necmeddin Efendi. Towards thisend, Mr. Babaoglu says the following: “It is notonly the way to perform the art what the apprenticelearns from his master. The ethics and manners are learntas well. So is the case also for marbling. Obviously, if yousee artists who learnt marbling from Mr. Duzgunman andNecmeddin Efendi, you will see their style and manners”.By the way, according to Mr. Babaoglu, arts in general,and marbling in particular, is an excellent means to trainthe lowerself. “You can do a marbling in a very shortperiod. You have just seen that we have finished a tulipmarbling and left it to dry.” He says, and then adds: “Butif you say “It’s me who did this marbling”, then it meansthat you still can not control your lower self.” From thesewords, we understand that not only Mr. Babaoglu himself,but also Mustafa Duzgunman, Necmeddin Efendi,Edhem Efendi, Sadik Efendi and Hatib Efendi did the marblingas well.Necmeddin Efendi’s Materials areat the Seat of HonorIn deed, Necmeddin Efendi also has a hand on the marblingwhich has just been left on bars to dry. There is ashelf right next to Mr. Babaoglu’s bag full of the fragranceof the history. On the shelf are paint jars, burnishers, marblingcombs etc. Not to use, however, but to preserve,because Necmeddin Efendi used these materials whilemarbling years ago. He even made one of the burnishershimself, and gifted it to his disciple Mustafa Duzgunman,which was later entrusted with Mr. Babaoglu. Now,3 generations are marbling together in a workshop.Alparslan Babaoglu is a figure dedicated to arts, and amarbler who promised his master to keep the art of marblingin line with the traditions. Since he got his authorisationin 1989, for 24 years in other words, he has beenmarbling without going astray from his teacher’s way andraising students for the maturation of this art. He has givenauthorisation to 2 students: Neyzen Sadreddin Ozcimiand Ismail Tirkes. He still teaches maybe hundreds of otherstudents.Certainly, in order to keep his promise he gave to histeacher, Mr. Babaoglu continues to open trays in the Centreof TurkoIslamic Arts of ISMEK, in the Foundation ofClassical Turkish Arts, and just like his teacher, on the firstfloor of his house.FOOTNOTES: 1) The last wish in the prayer of a marbler who opens a tray. 2) For furtherinformation, see An Herb Shop in Uskudar, Mustafa Duzgunman, Kubbealti Press.Necmeddin Okyay's marbling materials13