BPersonPartially recognized
İsmet Güney
Turkish Cypriot painter and cartoonist (1923–2009) who in 1960 designed the flag, coat of arms and first banknotes of the Republic of Cyprus.
İsmet Güney was born in Cyprus in 1923. He was known as a painter, cartoonist and teacher, and taught art in schools for many years.
When the Republic of Cyprus was founded in 1960, it was he who designed the new state's flag: a copper-coloured map of the island and two olive branches on a white field — the first national flag to show a map. Güney also designed the Republic's coat of arms and the first Cyprus pound banknotes.
He died in 2009. His work is regarded as an important chapter of Turkish Cypriot art.
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Updated: October 8, 2026