Camille Bergeaud’s Contributions to Turkish Art During His Occupation as the Cultural Attaché of France and the French Consulate in Istanbul as a Leading Exhibition Space of the Period

Abstract

This article explores the art exhibitions held at the French Consulate in Istanbul during Camille Bergeaud’s tenure as Cultural Attaché from 1949 to 1955. It examines how, prior to the establishment of Istanbul’s first art galleries, the consulate served as a vital exhibition space for modern Turkish artists. In the 1940s, Istanbul was the country’s artistic centre, yet artists struggled to find venues to display their work. Bergeaud, who showed a strong interest in modern Turkish art, played a key role in opening the consulate to these artists. This study discusses the broader context of exhibition activities in the late Ottoman Empire and early Republican Turkey, focusing on Istanbul and Ankara. It highlights how, from the late 1940s, the French Consulate in Beyoğlu functioned as a gallery by hosting solo and group exhibitions, offering visibility to emerging artists. After a brief overview of Bergeaud’s life, the article analyzes the exhibitions organised during his post, considering contemporary art publications and the developing art criticism scene. Ultimately, it identifies the consulate as one of the main exhibition venues in Istanbul between 1949 and 1955, underlining its significance in the history of modern Turkish art. © 2025 Istanbul Universitesi. All rights reserved.