It is used most frequently in religious manuscripts, literary and scientific tracts, written tablets, imperial edicts and seals, and hardcover books. It constitutes an integral part of works of calligraphy and is one of the main elements of Turkish decorative art.

Although he origins of the art are traced to the Uyghur Turks, the earliest examples are 12 - 13th century works from the Seljuks. Gilding made a giant stride in the 15th century under the auspices of Mehmet the Conqueror who acted as a patron of the arts and reached its apex under Süleyman the Magnificent. During what came to be known as the "classical period," tulip, rose, carnation, hyacinth and cypress motifs were introduced besides the conventional animal and cloud ones. This was followed in the 17th century by a naturalist period under the influence of the West and starting with the end of the 18th century, the "Turkish rococo" featuring ribbons and flower baskets.

During the Republican period Muhsin Demironat (1907-1983) and Rikkat Kunt (1903-1986) have stood out as gilding artists, with the art reflecting a new focus on tablets. Gilding is offered as a separate field of study at certain universities.