M M Kemal Canakkale Spierlerinde

This rug honours and portrays Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881–1938), who was the founder and first president when the modern republic of Turkey was formed in 1923, in the aftermath of the First World War. Ataturk is depicted in the trenches at Gallipoli accompanied by three Turkish soldiers standing with bayonets mounted on their rifles, spent bullets at their feet. The image illustrates a popular story about the landing of the Allied troops at Gallipoli in April, 1915. Ataturk is said to have seen Turkish soldiers fleeing the invasion claiming they had run out of ammunition. He ordered them to fix their bayonets instead and remain visible to the invaders. While the Allied troops hesitated at the sight of them, Ataturk is said to have called up reinforcements.

Pictorial rugs such as this one from this era are quite rare. These rugs are often portraits and tell a story or legend, bringing to life historical figures and significant events that may not have been represented in the media or other historical sources.

The rug is inscribed in the Latin alphabet 'Isparta frontier, M.M. Kemal Çanakkale (Gallipoli)'.