Sculptor. (B. 1910, Istanbul – D. 1992, Istanbul). She is our first
woman sculptor. She started her education in the French Catholic School in
Damascus because of her father’s duty. After returning to Istanbul she
continued to study in Köprülü Fuat Paşa School and graduated from there. Since
she was interested in fine arts at young ages she entered the Department of
Painting of Mimar Sinan University, Faculty of Fine Arts at the age of sixteen
before graduating from high school. Here she was a student of Feyhaman Duran.
Her teacher of sculpture who witnessed that she copied an ancient sculpture on
her own first did not believe that she made it but however upon being
convinced, he supported her and helped that she was admitted to the department
of sculpture as the first female student. As İhsan Özsoy’s student, skills of
Bengütaş were recognized in a short time and she graduated ranking first in
class.
Sabiha Bengütaş later continued her sculpture education in Luppi’s
workshop in Italy, Fine Arts Academy of Rome and specialized in this field. The
artist who gained experience in Italy was the assistant of the famous Italian
sculptor Pietro Canonica who made the Atatürk monument in Taksim square.
Sabiha Hanım who married Padişah Abdülhak Hamit’s grandchild Emin
Bey lived in various countries since her husband was a
diplomat. She continued her profession in these countries. Bengütaş who made
sculptures of numerous famous people such as the poet Abdülhak Hamit, poet
Ahmet Haşim and theatre-movie actress Bedia Muvahhit is one of the first woman
artists who joined the traditional Galatasaray Exhibition which started in
1925. Besides she had the first place in sculpture competition opened for
Atatürk and İnönü in 1938. Her Atatürk sculpture is in the garden of Çankaya
Mansion and İnönü sculpture in Mudanya.
Her main works are following: “Head of a Young Woman” (Istanbul
Painting and Sculpture Museum), “Head of Painter Namık İsmail”, “Head of Bedia
Muvahhit”, “Atatürk Sculpture” (Çankaya Mansion), “İnönü Sculpture” (Mudanya).
Bengütaş, who worked for long years remaining loyal to the nature passed away
in 1992.