Şahkulu

This drawing of dragon entangled in swirling foliage under attack from a lion above while assaulting a phoenix is "certainly the greatest masterpiece of the [saz] style". It belongs to the first phase of the style and is attributed to Şahkulu. Cleveland Museum of Art Şahkulu (; Shāhqulī-i Baghdādī; died 1556) was an Ottoman painter who played a leading role in a formation of the saz style.

He next appears in 1545-46 as head (sar buluk) of the Anatolian ("Rumi") section of the naqqash khana (it was one of the two sections). According to Mustafa Ali, writing in 1586, Şahkulu was given an independent studio where the sultan liked to watch him work, together with a position of chief painter (naqqash bashi) and salary of one hundred akçe (this last figure is probably an exaggeration, because the salary would have been without precedent). A note in a list of gifts made by the sultan to his court artists in 1555–6 states that Şahkulu had died before the gift could be presented to him. His most important pupil was Kara Memi. Freer Gallery of Art Combat between dragon and lion, from an Ottoman album (TSMK H. 2147, f. 32b).jpg|Combat between dragon and lion (attribution) Topkapı Palace Library Two pages from the Sultan Murad III Album (ANL Cod. mixt. 313 ff. 11b, 46a).jpg|Two pages from the Sultan Murad III Album (Muraqqa) (attribution). Austrian National Library Dragon (left) and hatayi blossoms (right), from an Ottoman album (IÜ Ktp. F. 1426 ff. 48a, 47b).jpg|Dragon (left) and hatayi blossoms (right). It is highly possible that these two drawings were executed by Şahkulu. Istanbul University Library