This famous Turkish artwork by Osman Hamdi Bey shows a man patiently trying to “train” a group of tiny tortoises. The whole scene is actually a clever metaphor: change doesn’t happen quickly—especially when you’re dealing with slow movers!
The trainer represents people trying to improve or modernise things, while the tortoises symbolise how slowly society (or bureaucracy!) can respond. It’s a gentle, humorous reminder that patience is part of every big transformation.
I was intrigued by this painting which I saw on a noticeboard in Tirilye. Painted in 1906