The “Original Atatürk Portrait Exhibition” organized by the Ministry of National Education has opened at Anıtkabir. The original of the historical Atatürk portrait, which is found on the first pages of textbooks and school walls, is attracting great attention at the exhibition, which will be open to visitors for 10 days from November 24, Atatürk Commemoration Day and Atatürk Week to November 15, Teachers’ Day.
The original of the historical Atatürk portrait, which is on the first pages of textbooks and on school walls, was opened to visitors at Anıtkabir by the Ministry of National Education on November 10, Atatürk Commemoration Day.
The portrait, which was made by the painter Şeref Sonel using the watercolor coloring technique on a photograph of Atatürk and has been on the classroom walls of schools and on the first pages of textbooks since then, attracts great attention from visitors at Anıtkabir on this meaningful day.
Citizens who saw the original of the portrait, which has an important place in the education community, experienced emotional moments. Visitors who stated that they returned to their student years when they saw the portrait thanked Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin and those who contributed to this meaningful exhibition.
Citizens who flocked to Anıtkabir, the eternal resting place of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, on the 86th anniversary of his death, had their photographs taken with his portrait.
The exhibition, which started at Anıtkabir on November 10, Atatürk Commemoration Day, will be open to all citizens until November 24, Teachers' Day.
The report revealing the value of the historical portrait is also included in the exhibition
The signed document titled “Atatürk Portrait Report”, which reveals the value of the work, is also included in the exhibition.
In the report of the 1961-person commission consisting of Atatürk's adopted daughter Prof. Dr. Afet İnan, who gathered in the Red Crescent Society building in Ankara in 6, and consisting of War History Department Historian Specialist Tevfik Bıyıklıoğlu, Ord. Prof. Enver Ziya Karal, Red Crescent Society Consultant Architect Muhittin Güreli, Painters' Society President Turgut Zaim and Painter Rami Uluer from the Painters' Society, it was stated that the portrait made by Painter Şeref Sonel using the watercolor coloring technique by enlarging Atatürk's photograph to 75×95 was a more important and invaluable work than all Atatürk paintings made up to that day.
The commission report also includes the following statements regarding the fact that the historical photograph that made the founder of the Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a common value in minds, was drawn in accordance with the original: “Our committee of judges gathered and examined the 30x75 Atatürk portrait, which was enlarged and colored from a photograph taken 95 years ago by painter Şeref Sonel, and reached the following conclusions: This painting is completely historical, in other words, it expresses the state of the Great Atatürk at that time completely in accordance with the original. The face, eye and hair colors are completely true to life. In terms of the style of processing, it is more expressive than all the Atatürk paintings seen so far. In this portrait, it is possible to see and hear Atatürk’s will, power, determination, nobility, intelligence, sweetness and great humanity all together. The colors used in the portrait are very harmonious and well-valued.”
The commission report also includes the following assessment: “Conclusion: This work is a work of inestimable value, not only in terms of its historical value, but also in terms of showing the real Atatürk to the Turkish nation and artists. It is very important to obtain a duplication of this portrait without losing any of the values of the original. It is essential that this masterpiece portrait be reproduced with a sensitivity befitting the greatness of our great Atatürk by an institution that has achieved world fame and trust in its field.”
On the other hand, the video prepared by the Ministry of National Education about the historical portrait also meets with visitors in the exhibition area.
