Writer and translator (b. 1908,
Akçaabat / Trabzon – d. 13 January 1973, İstanbul). He is the elder brother of
Bedri Rahmi Eyuboğlu. After attending the Trabzon High School (1928), he took
place in the first group of students to be sent abroad by Atatürk, and he
completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in Dijon, Lyon and Paris
Universities in France (1928-32). After returning home, he worked as an
associate professor at İstanbul University, Faculty of Literature (1933-39), as
an inspector of education in Ankara, as a member of Board of Education, as the
vice-president of the Translators Office and finally, as a teacher of history
at Hasanoğlan Village Institute (1939-47). He was charged by Hasan Âli, the
Minister Education of that era, for the duty of instruction at the Village
Institutes, in order to educate young people. He introduced Greek classics to
institute students; led drama plays and organized folk music nights.
On his return from his second
visit to France (1948), he lectured on comparative Turkish – France literature
at İstanbul University, Faculty of Literature (1950-60) and on history of arts
at the Technical University and at the School of Applied Fine Arts (1951-59).
In 1960 he was dismissed from school by taking place among those tried with the
Article 147 of the Turkish Penal Code. He continued giving lectures at the
Technical University, when he returned. He was arrested in 1963 because of his Devrim
Yazıları/ Babeuf (Essays on Revolution / Babeuf) with Vedat Günyol.
He was acquitted three years later. After the military coup on 12 March 1971,
he was arrested once again along with Vedat Günyol and Azra Erhat by the
martial law and was tried according to the Article 142 and was acquitted.
His essays, critics and studies
were published in the newspaper and magazines Hakimiyet-i Milliye, Tan,
Kültür Haftası, İnsan and
Varlık after 1931. After 1946, his works were published in the
newspaper and magazines Yaprak, İmece, Tanin and Yeni Ufuklar. He managed to attract attention of the
intellectual section of the society with his essays supporting a national
understanding of culture in a synthesis of the entire old Anatolian
civilizations, including the Greek antiquity. He produced documentary films
with Mazhar Şevket İpşiroğlu, Macit Gökberk and Aziz Elbek about the ancient
Anatolian civilizations. He shared the Turkish Language Association Award with
M. Ali Cimcoz with his translation of Devlet (State) of Plato. He
received the Ataç Award in 1960 with his essay book Mavi ve Kara (Blue
and Black).
WORKS:
ESSAY: Mavi ve Kara (Blue
and Black, 1961; new edition 2001), Sanat Üstüne Denemeler (Essays on
Arts, 1974), Söz Sanatları - Bütün Yazılar 1, (Verbal Arts –All Essays 1, 1989), Mavi-I -
Söz Sanatları Üzerine Denemeler ve Eleştiriler
(Blue-I-Essays and Criticisms on Verbal Arts, 2001), Mavi-II - Görsel
Sanatlar Üzerine Denemeler ve Eleştiriler (Blue-II-Essays and Criticisms on
Visual Arts, 2001).
STUDY: Fransız Realizmi
(French Realism, 1940), Avrupa Resminde Gerçekçilik Duygusu (Sensation
of Reality in European Paintings, in collaboration with M. Ş. İpşiroğlu, 1952),
Fatih Albümüne Bakış (A Glance at Fatih Album, in collaboration with M.
Ş. İpşiroğlu, 1952), Yunus Emre'ye Selâm (A Salute for Yunus Emre,
study-essay, 1966), Pir Sultan Abdal (Pir Sultan Abdal, 1977), Gökyüzü Mavi Kaldı (The Sky
Remained Blue, collection, in collaboration with Yaşar Kemal, 1978), Köy
Enstitüleri Üzerine (About Village Institutes, 1979), Bütün Yazıları I
(All Articles I, edited by Azra Erhat, 1981), Bütün Yazıları II (All
Works II, edited by Azra Erhat, 1982), Sanat Üzerine Denemeler ve
Eleştiriler (Essays and Criticisms on Arts - Verbal Arts: volume 1, 1981), Sanat
Üzerine Denemeler ve Eleştiriler (Essays and Critics on Arts - Visual Arts:
volume 2, 1982), Çağdaş Türk Edebiyatının Kıyıcığında - 1958-1960 (On
the Coast of Modern Turkish Literature -1958-1960, in collaboration with Vedat
Günyol, 1995).
DOCUMENTARY FILM: Anadolu Ormanları
(Anatolian Forests, 1956), Hitit Güneşi (Hittite Sun, 1957), Siyah
Kalem (Black Pencil, 1958), Karanlıkta Renkler-Göreme (Colours in
the Dark – Göreme, 1959), Surname (Book of Castles, 1959), Anadolu
Yolları (Anatolian Pathways, 1959), Anadolu'da Roma Mozaikleri
(Roman Mosaics in Anatolia, 1959), Eski Antalya'nın Surları (City Walls
of Old Antalya, 1968).
Besides, he made translations from Plato, Montaigne, La Fontaine, Omar Hayyam, Melville, Camus, Rabelais and Aristophanes.