Abstract:

Looking at the mythologies, fairy tales and narratives of different cultures and civilizations in the process from past to present, it is seen that animal and plant species are symbolized directly or indirectly by attributing religious and mythical meanings. It can be seen that these symbolizations are formed in an intuitive way, sometimes based on observation and sometimes as a form of inexplicable expression. Examples such as horse meaning will, fish meaning kismet, bird meaning news and black cat meaning bad luck are based on this view. The crow and the raven, which differ from each other with their black and large bodies in terms of their appearance, appear as a similar image in the epics, mythologies and arts of different cultures in terms of the symbolic meanings they bear. The crow and raven have always been described as a bird species that is notorious for this mysterious aspect, as they create an enigmatic air and protect this mysterious air, which is often described as ominous in many cultures. In this study, the place and importance of the crow / raven image in Turkish mythology is explained, and the works of the contemporary Turkish painting artists who make use of this symbol are analyzed aesthetically, and how it is reflected in the art of painting. The fact that the artists include mythological expressions in their works is of great importance in order to keep the symbolic images, expressions, value judgments and traditions seen in the myths and legends of Turkish culture not to be forgotten, to be kept alive and to be carried to future generations.

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