Dergi Bursa / Ocak - Şubat 2018 / Sayı 47

52 hayat hikayesi life story Hanım, Abdülhak Hâmid’in torunu diplomat Şakir Emin Bengütaş’la evlendi. Saltanatın son yıllarında başlayan ve Cumhuriyetin ilk yıllarında gelenekselleşen Galatasaray sergilerine 1925’te ilk kez katılan kadınlar arasına girdi. 31 Temmuz 1925 günü açılan sergide üç eseri bulunurken, bunlardan biri Ahmet Haşim’in büstü olmuştu. Sabiha Bengütaş 1938 yılında iki önemli yarışma kazandı. Atatürk ve İnönü için açılan heykel yarışmasında birinci olan Bengütaş, bu heykellerin eskizlerini Türkiye’de hazırlayıp, Roma’da tamamladı. Bengütaş, Mudanya Mütarekesi’ne izafeten, Mudanya’da dikilmek üzere Hayri İpar’ın teşebbüsüyle yapılması kararlaştırılan İnönü heykelinin müsabakasını kazanmıştı. her department to Sculpture thus becoming the only female student. She came first in the examination for the members of Sanayi-i Nefise and gained the right to go abroad. She worked as a resident at the workshop of Prof. Luppi in the Fine Arts Academy of Rome. Miss Sabiha would go on to become a legend upon her return to Turkey… Her name had went down in the history of sculpture with golden letters in a short period of time and went on to marry diplomat Şakir Emin Bengütaş who was the grandson of Abdülhak Hâmid. She was among the women who participated for the first time in the Galatasaray exhibitions which had started during the final years of the Sultanate which then went on to become a traditional event during the Republic. She had three works on display at the exhibition that was opened in July 31, 1925 one of which was the bust of Ahmet Haşim. Sabiha Bengütaş won two important competitions in 1938. Bengütaş came first in the sculpture competition for Atatürk and İnönü upon which she prepared the sketches of these statues in Turkey and completed them in Rome. Bengütaş had also won the Inönü sculpture competition that was opened with the efforts of Hayri Ipar to be erected in Mudanya in honor of the Mudanya Armistice. The stones used for the pedestal of the statue were brought in from Armutlu. The statue that symbolized the Western Front Commander İsmet İnönü in his official uniform remained at the Iskele Square until 1981 after which it was placed on a rectangular pedestal prepared on the area to the south of the Armistice House. News on the competition held at Mudanya as well as on the Inönü statue were all over the press at the time. The name of Sabiha Bengütaş which had become legendary as the first woman sculptor of Turkey still lives on with the Ismet Inönü statue in his Western Front Commander uniform symbolizing the Mudanya Armistice. ******* “Miss Sabiha Bengütaş continued to prepare her works despite the various difficulties that arose due to the war that Italy took part in and completed the statue about six months before. The statue is 3 meters high. And it depicts İnönü in military uniform. The monument that was built entirely of bronze could not be brought in to our country even though the war was over in Italy since there was no suitable vehicle. The Providence battle cruiser that visited Istanbul about a month ago brought the statue by Miss Sabiha Bengütaş over to Istanbul as a courtesy by the American Naval posts.” ******* “The monument is currently being assembled at Mudanya and shall properly be opened on the 5th of August with a big ceremony. Miss Sabiha Bengütaş will go to Mudanya to take part in the opening ceremony of the monument after which she will return to Italy to continue her works for the Atatürk statue that she is preparing as a requirement for the same competition. The Atatürk monument is being constructed using Karara marble which is the most precious marble type in the world. This 3 meter high statue is about to be completed. Both the Inönü monument at Mudanya and the Atatürk monument at Bursa will be the first monuments in the world by a woman.” (Ankara newspaper, July 17, 1946). ****** “Two statues were ordered to the sculptor ten years ago. One of these was the Atatürk statue to be placed in front of the Ankara Officer Cadet School, whereas the other was the Ismet Inönü statue for Mudanya. Atatürk statue was made using marble and the Inönü statue of bronze. The artist had the Inönü statue cast in Italy. The marble was brought in from Karara in northern Italy famous for its marbles. Both statues cost forty two thousand liras but the artist still did not receive this payment. Moreover, she has made all the expenses herself. Opening ceremony was held a while ago at Mudanya for the Inönü statue, but the artist Sabiha Bengütaş was not even invited. She was