Lot Essay
Mehmet Shafiq (1819-1880) was the son of Sulayman Mahir Bey. He was born in Besiktas, and became an instructor in the royal palace where he remained for 34 years. He was famed also for his architectural inscriptions, including those on the Mihrab in the Hagia Sofia, the Dome of the Rock and the tomb of Sultan Abdülmecid.