LOCATION: Bursa, Government Square

DATE: October 29, 1931 (Akkılıç 1988:54; Ruşen 1931:5)

ARTIST: Nijad SIREL (with the help of Mahir TOMRUK) (Gezer 1984:68)

BY: Governorship (Anonymous 1932 h:4)

PROJECT FORM: Order (Anonymous 1932 h:4)

SELECTION COMMITTEE: The draft of the monument is seen by the Academy of Fine Arts, then approved by the Ministry of National Education (Anonymous 1929 e:1)

COST: 45,000 TL. (Anonymous 1929 e:1)

PLACE OF MADE: It was cast by the artist in a private workshop in Şişli, Turkey/Istanbul. (Anonymous 1932 h:5)

MONUMENT

Material: Sculpture; Bronze, Pedestal; Marble/Chopped stone

Dimensions: Sculpture; h: 5 m./ wt.: 4.000 kg. (Anonymous 1932 h:4), Pedestal; h: 5 meters.

Inscriptions: It is located on three facades.

North Facade: This Saint Statue

                     Turkish standing in front

                     Bow down with respect

                     Saving His Nation

                     Republic of the Quran

                     A New History to the Realm

                     creator

                     veteran

                     MUSTAFA

                     RIPENESS

East Front: 29 B.Testrin 1339

                        1923

                   Founding of the Republic

Western Front: September 11, 1330

                        1922

                  Liberation of Bursa

HISTORY: It is in Bursa City Government Square. The first time to build a monument in Bursa was suggested by the local publication of the city, "Yeni Fikir" newspaper, in its issue dated September 29, 1925. The call made to the public and state institutions in this regard is as follows:

             "Ankara, Istanbul and even some of our provinces adorn their beautiful cities with the statues of our Gazi Pasha. The light of revolutions rises from that great man. Our Bursa has been happy to embrace its beloved Gazi several times. 'New Idea' wishes to warn the attention of the esteemed people of Bursa in this direction. The production of this indispensable work, which will embrace the pride of bright days, should be started immediately. Akkılıç 1988:54)."

However, about five years after this publication, it was decided by the Governor's Office to have an Atatürk Monument built, and it was commissioned by the sculptor Nijad Sirei in February 1930. From an article published in the press in December 1929, we learn about the stages the monument went through before it was commissioned to the artist:

             "We wrote that the samples made by some craftsmen for the statues of Gazi Hz. tender will be made" (Anonymous 1929e:1).

These lines point to the Monument Commission. After a certain date, only monuments approved by this commission should have been implemented.

When ordering the monument, the artist was shown the area where it would be placed, and it was stipulated that Atatürk be depicted on a horse, and the details beyond that, including its dimensions, were left to the artist. The modeling of the statue is 25 m. in Şişli. in length, 10 m. wide and 7 m. It was made by using 12 tons of Eyüp mud by working day and night in an indoor workshop. A set of mechanisms that rotate around its own axis to facilitate modeling and hold the mud on it have been prepared by the artist. The modeling of the statue was completed in seven months, and its plastering was completed in one and a half months. This workshop for bronze casting was carried out in a foundry established by the artist with the sand piece mold technique. Some parts of the sculpture, which was cast as twelve pieces, were combined with bolts from the inside and moved to Bursa. either in five pieces. The installation of the statue, which was transferred on September 17, 1931, was completed in fifteen days (Anonymous 1929 e:1).

Nijad Sirel chose a calm and simple expression in Bursa Atatürk Monument by purifying the figures from details. The evaluation of this change in the artist's style by Nurullah Berk (1937 b:27-28) is as follows:

             "Especially in the works he has done in the last years, a "Simplification" simplification concern is manifested in Nijat. This is one of the most difficult aspects of art.

... For him, the modest works of art are works where the details are always visible and the essentials are not grasped. Craftsmen who have been mixed in the profession know very well the difficulty of seeing things simply and without details.

In this respect, we should consider the simplification anxiety seen in Nijad Sirel's latest works as a very good trace."

The opening ceremony of the monument was held on October 29, 1931, during the celebrations of the eighth anniversary of the Republic. It was opened to the enthusiastic applause of the students participating in the Republic Day ceremonies and the people of Bursa. The Turkish flag, on which the monument was covered, was lowered by the Governor of the time, Fatih Güvendiren. (Akkılıç 1988:54; Ruşen 1931:5).

DEFINITION: The monument consists of two parts, a pedestal and a statue. There are inscriptions on three sides of the rectangular plinth with chamfered corners, and there are floral ornaments in the form of a frieze circulating all around on the upper part. The façade of this monument, in which Atatürk is depicted on a horse, dressed as a soldier and wearing a cloak on his shoulder, with his head turned to the East, with his right hand parallel to the ground at chest level pointing to the West, faces North. The horse is calm, looking straight ahead while standing on all fours. Considering the inscriptions on the pedestal, it can be seen that it was erected to express gratitude to Ata for the liberation of the country, along with the liberation of the city. Based on all these, it can be said that Atatürk is depicted as a victorious commander in this monument. 

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