Jun 12, 2018
Füreya Koral’s 108th Birthday
If you’ve ever felt you were still searching for your life’s true calling, draw some inspiration from the life of Füreya Koral, Turkey’s foremost modern ceramist. While seeking treatment for tuberculosis in Lausanne, Switzerland, the 37-year-old took interest in ceramics after attending a workshop. What started as a hobby soon became a passion that would reinvigorate her life with new purpose.
Born 108 years ago on June 12, 1910, Koral grew up in a house situated between a church and a mosque. This intersection of Western and Ottoman cultures inspired her to experiment with different textures of clay to create ceramic works that intertwined elements of abstract Western art and the Islamic culture of Turkey, as well as influences from neighboring East Asian nations.
Molding the clay to fit her artistic vision, Koral made statuettes, imaginative kitchenware large ceramic panels that would adorn the walls of national institutions, hospitals, and universities from the Turkish capital of Ankara to Istanbul.
Her work endures as a testament that age is only a number and that it’s never too late to discover your passion. Happy 108th birthday, Füreya Koral!
Where this Doodle appeared
Discover more Doodles by color
Did you know?
The very first Doodle launched as an “out of office” message of sorts when company founders Larry and Sergey went on vacation.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first Doodle launched in 1998, before Google was officially incorporated.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first same day Doodle was created in 2009 when water was discovered on the moon.
Learn MoreDid you know?
Doodle for Google student contest winners have gone on to become professional artists
Learn MoreDid you know?
The time it takes from sketch to launch for a Doodle varies widely: some have taken years and others just a few hours!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Hundreds of Doodles launch around the world every year. Often, several different ones are live in different places at the same time!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Our most frequently recurring Doodle character is Momo the Cat - named after a real-life team pet!
Learn More