From Mokhtar to Gazbia by ArtTalks

Abdel Hadi el-‐Gazzar Abdel Moneim Metawae Abdel Rahman al-‐Nashar Abou Khalil Lotfy Adam H enein Adham Wanly Ahmed Abdel Wahab Effat Naghi El H ussein F awzi Emma Caly Ayad Fouad K amel Gazbia Sirry Georges Sabbagh Hamed Abdalla Hamed Nada Hassan Soliman Hidayet Hosny el-‐Banany Hussein Bicar

Injy Efflatoun Kamal Khalifa Kamel Mostafa, Kawkab Youssef Khadiga Riaz/Riad Mahmoud Mokhtar Mahmoud Said Marguerite Nakhla Margo Veillon Mayo Mohammed Hassan Mohamed Naghi Mohammed Sabry Mounir Canaan Mounir Fahim Nahmia Saad Ragheb Ayad Refaat Ahmed Saad al-‐Khadem Said el-‐Adawy

From

Mokhtar To

Gazbia

OPENING RECEPTION December 3, 2019 EXHIBITION 03 - 12 - 2019 3 1 - 12 - 2019

The ‘Other’ showed up in Alexandria on July 2, 1798, in the guise of an opportunistic, idealistic 29-year-old French general. When Napoléon Bonaparte landed with 38,000 soldiers and 167 savants, the shock was cultural as much as it was military. Following the French military defeat in 1801, Muhammad Ali (r. 1805-1848), an ambitious Albanian commander in the Ottoman army, originally sent to fight the French, quickly filled the power vacuum to create his own empire. Considered the founder of modern Egypt, the self-declared khedive and his spendthrift dynasty would rule Egypt for the next 150 years and undertake a vast program of modernization, educational reforms and industrialization, arguably preparing the ground for al-Nahda (cultural renaissance). By the end of the 19th century, an artistic circle, initiated by a group of Europeans living in Egypt and under the patronage of the khedive, were organizing a yearly Exposition du Caire. At the turn of the twentieth-century and with ten thousand pounds, twenty-six year old member of the royal family Prince Youssef Kamal (1882-1966) would open the free of charge Egyptian School of Fine Arts (Madrassa al-Funun al-Jamila al-Misriyya) to promote the arts and immortalize his name. An avid oriental antiquities and Islamic works of art collector, Kamal believed in opening the door to local talents and sought to disprove that Egyptians were indifferent to or incapable of appreciating arts or shied away for religious reasons.

The year 1911 would witness the first exhibition of the first graduating class at the Cairo Automobile Club. Among them were some of today’s most recognized names, including sculptor Mahmoud Mokhtar and painters Youssef Kamel, Mohammed Hassan and Ragheb Ayad. Ibn al-Balad, a gypsum-made sculpture of a joyful boy by Mahmoud Mokhtar, received great reviews and was the only work sold in 8 editions. Ever since, it is said that Mokhtar proudly and rightly claimed to be the first Egyptian sculptor in Egypt in over 1700 years.

By the late 1960s / early 1970s, the figurative world of Gazbia Sirry (1925) began to fade away, and a world of abstraction slowly took over. With the same power, love for her homeland and mastery of color, Gazbia spoke about and to the people of Egypt to craft a certain non-figurative spontaneity at the forefront of modernism to aptly express the complexities of the country and the dire conditions of its people. In-between the two artists and those years is a fascinating story of Egyptian modernism, whose artist-heroes are either celebrated and sought-after today, or forgotten and lost in the gaps of history. From Mokhtar to Gazbia looks at how some of the twentieth-century native Egyptian artists engaged with issues of nation-state, nostalgia, and tradition, while others faded the borders between narration and the human condition; how some chose to remain loyal to the traditional Western school of classicism, while others vouched to create an authentic and distinct visual language based on a variety of styles and aesthetics. From Mokhtar to Gazbia features over seventy artworks by 48 artists, handpicked and sourced from different private Egyptian collections, to narrate the story of the emergence and evolution of modern Egyptian art, as they seek a new home. Whether you are a serious collector, a Fine Arts student, a historian, an artist, or simply an art lover, do take the time to visit the one-month exhibition, and do not forget to put on your twentieth-century hat.

MOHAMMED HASSAN (1892-1961) Caricature of Ahmed Fahmy Qattan Bey (Controller of Fine Arts at Minister of Public Instruction) during his visit to the first State-sponsored art scholarship studies in Rome, 1926 Watercolor on paper50 x 70 cm Signed and dated lower right

al-Musawar cover, 13 August 1926, shows front row: el-Qattan Bey, Diplomat Sadek Henein Pasha, Dean of School Camillo Innocenti, second row: Artists Mohammed Hassan, Youssef Kamel and Ragheb Ayad in Rome.

Ibn-al-Balad in exhibition of first Graduating Class of École Égyptienne des Beaux-Arts in 1911.

MAHMOUD MOKHTAR (1891-1934) Ibn al-Balad 1911 – molded 1970s in Egypt Recognized as the first sculpture “in over 1700 years” as Mokhtar is quoted as saying ‘There had been no sculptor in Egypt in over 1700 years.’ Bronze56 x 20 x 26 cm Signed M. Mouktar

MAHMOUD MOKHTAR (1891-1934) Hamelat El Garra Molded 1973 in Egypt BronzeSigned M. Mouktar

MARGUERITE NAKHLA (1908-1977)

Oil on canvas 75 x 65 cm Signed lower left

Oil on canvas 52 x 73 cm Signed lower left

Les arbres aux feuilles oranges

Jardin du Luxembourg series

SAYED ABDEL RASSOUL (1917-1995)

Fellahat

Oil on canvas 70 x 85 cm Signed

SAYED ABDEL RASSOUL (1917-1995) Fellahat, 1986 Oil on wood board 40 x 56 cm Signed lower right

INJY EFFLATOUN (1924-1989) Untitled, 1986 | Oil on wood 60 x 45 cm Signed and dated lower right

HAMED NADA (1924-1990) Untitled, 1987 | Oil on canvas 50 x 60 cm Signed and dated lower center

INJY EFFLATOUN (1924-1989) Untitled, 1987 | Oil on canvas 60 x 80 cm Signed and dated lower left

INJY EFFLATOUN (1924-1989) Untitled, 1974 | Oil on canvas 68 x 45 cm Signed and dated lower left

ABDEL RAHMAN EL NASHAR (1923-1999) Untitled, 1997 | Oil on wood | 50 x 50 cm

Signed and dated in Arabic and English lower right

ZAKARIA EL-ZEINI (1932-1993) Untitled | Oil on canvas 102 x 83 cm | Signed

SALAH TAHER (1911-2007) al-Salam / Peace, 1978 Oil on wood125 x 185 cm Signed and dated In Arabic bottom right Cover of October Magazine No. 5106, 1978

SAAD AL-KHADEM (1913-1987) Reclining Nude on Sofa, 1943

RAGHEB AYAD (1882-1982) (Fellah), 1944

Signed and dated top left Oil on canvas 38 x 60 cm

Oil on canvas 90 x 70 cm Signed R. Ayad and dated lower right

RAGHEB AYAD (1882-1982)

Untitled, 1946

L’École égyptienne des Beaux-Arts, Madrassat al-Funun al-Jamila al-Misriyya, 1908

1953

Mixed media on paper | 50 x 37 cm Signed and dated

Pencil on paper | 38 x 28 cm Signed R. Ayad lower right

Mixed media on paper | 50 x 70 cm Signed and dated

ABDEL HADI EL-GAZZAR (1925-1966) Nude, 1960 Oil on wood | 95 x 57 cm Signed Elgazzar and dated lower right

ADAM HENEIN (1929-2020)

L’Oiseau dynastique, 1964 Edition 2/8 Broze | 185 x 30 x 28 cm Signed ADAM HENEIN (1929-2020)

The Goat, 1965 Edition 5/8 Broze | 87 x 24 x 65 cm Signed

ADAM HENEIN (1929-2020) Acrylic on wood | 100 x 80 cm Signed in Arabic lower right

GAZBIA SIRRY (1925-2021) Oil on canvas | 60 x 80 cm Signed Gazbia in Arabic and English and dated 1983 lower right

GAZBIA SIRRY (1925-2021) Oil on canvas | 26 x 34 cm Signed Gazbia in Arabic and English and dated 1994 lower right

YOUSSEF SIDA (1922-1994) 19-5-1971 Oil on canvas70 x 80 cm Signed and dated lower center

ABOU KHALIL LOTFY (1920-1993) Untitled, 1986 Oil on canvas 75 x 75 cm Signed and dated

MOHAMED NAGHI (1888-1956) Paysage de Normandie Giverny, France, est. 1918

Oil on canvas | 25 x 40 cm Signed Nagy lower right

MOHAMED NAGHI (1888-1956) Fellaha

Oil on wood 25 x 40 cm Signed Nagy lower right

HIDAYET (est. 1895-1965) Landscape

Oil on canvas 75 x 175 cm Signed lower right

GEORGES SABBAGH (1887-1951)

Les Banyans, 1937

Untitled, 1925

Oil on wood | 25 x 55 cm Signed G. H. Sabbagh and dated lower right

Oil on canvas | 80 x 65 cm Signed G. H. Sabbagh and dated lower left

YOUSSEF SIDA (1922-1994)

EL HUSSEIN FAWZI (1905-1999)

Untitled (Portrait of a Nude), 1962

Untitled, Nude

44 x 59 cm Watercolor and ink on paper Signed and dated lower right

32 x 21 cm Pencil on paper Signed in Arabic lower left

NAHMIA SAAD (1912-1944) Untitled, Nude

Pastel on paper | 36 x 42 cm Signed lower left

EMMA CALY AYAD, (1906-unknown)

OMAR EL NAGDI

Flamenco Dancers

Untitled, 1996 Oil on canvas 100 x 70 cm Signed and dated top right

Oil on canvas 35 x55 cm Signed lower right

HOSNY EL BANANY (1912-1988)

YOUSSEF KAMEL (1890-1971)

Untitled

Untitled, 1965

Oil on wood | 55 x 70 cm Signed lower right

Oil on wood | 100 x 70 cm Signed and dated

SEIF WANLY (1906-1979)

Reclining Nude

Femme allongée, 1968

Oil on paper | 20 x 33 cm Signed lower right

Oil on wood | 45 x 30 cm Signed and dated lower right

SEIF WANLY (1906-1979) Oil on wood | 27 x 35 cm Signed lower right

ADHAM WANLY (1908-1959) Le Cirque, 1957 Oil on wood | 50 x 35 cm Signed and dated lower right

SEIF WANLY (1906-1979) Nubia Oil on wood | 60 x 75 cm Signed

SEIF WANLY (1906-1979)

ADHAM WANLY (1908-1959)

Mixed media on paper 22 x 20 cm Signed and dated 13 - 6 - 56

Mixed media on paper 27.5 x 18.5 cm Signed Wanly in English and Arabic lower left, and dated 1925

Hussein Youssef Amin

SABRY RAGHEB (1920-2000)

Untitled, 1940 Oil on canvas 80 x 60 cm Signed and dated lower right

Untitled, 1970 Oil on canvas 86 x 70 cm Signed Sabry and dated 1970 top right

HUSSEIN BICAR (1913-2002) Old Nubia Series

Oil on canvas 40 x 50 cm Signed lower left

HUSSEIN BICAR (1913-2002) The Model

Gouache on cardboard 35 x 27 cm Signed lower right

HAMED ABDALLA (1917-1985)

Oil on paper 20 x 27 cm Signed Abdalla lower left and on the back

Untitled Oil on paper 20 x 27 cm Signed

Untitled Oil on paper 14 x 20 cm Signed H. Abdalla lower right

TAHIA HALIM (1919-2003) Les enfants

Oil on wood 71 x 53 cm Signed

TAHIA HALIM (1919-2003) Oil on board | 50 x 50 cm Signed lower left

HASSAN SOLIMAN (1928-2008) Untitled, 1993 Oil on board 60 x 90 cm Signed

HASSAN SOLIMAN (1928-2008) Untitled, 1994 Mixed media on paper 50 x 70 cm Signed and dated top center

HASSAN SOLIMAN (1928-2008) Untitled, 1993 Mixed media on paper 60 x 80 cm Signed and dated lower left

MOUNIR CANAAN (1919-1999)

Untitled, Late 1980s

Rhythms Series, 1970

Mixed media, Oil and collage on paper 67 x 87 cm

Mixed media on paper 80 x 80 cm

SAID EL-SADR (1909-1986)

MOUNIR FAHIM (1935-1982)

Carpet series

Untitled (Fille avec pigeons)

Oil on canvas 50 x 70 cm Signed

Oil on canvas 145 x 70 cm Signed

ABDEL MONEIM METAWAE (1935-1982) Childhood, 1979

Oil on wood 100 x 70 cm Signed and dated lower right

MORRIS FARID (1917-1994) Les Barques Oil on canvas 60 x 90 cm Signed lower left

MOHAMED SABRY (1917-2018)

Landscape

Pastel on canvas 30 x 45 cm Signed lower left

Oil on canvas 60 x 45 cm Signed lower left

REFAAT AHMED (1931-X)

Untitled (Boat Men)

Untitled

Oil on wood 75 x 55 cm Signed lower left

Oil on wood 75 x 55 cm Signed lower right

KAMEL MOSTAFA (1917-1982)

Untitled Oil on wood 47 x 67 cm Signed lower right

Untitled Oil on wood 35 x 54 cm Signed lower left

Zeinab Abdel Hamid Untitled, 1970 Mixed media on paper 70 x 50 cm Signed and dated lower right

Ahmed Abdel Wahab (1932-2021)

Bronze 120 x 70 cm Signed in Arabic and edition stamped

Bronze 180 x 50 x 40 cm Signed in Arabic and edition stamped

From

Mokhtar To

Gazbia Catalogue Published on the occasion of the show From Mokhtar To Gazbia 03 December, 2019 ArtTalks | Egypt Coordinators Cherine Chafik Engy El-Bouliny Wael Seif El Nasr Text Fatenn Mostafa Graphic Concept & Realization Engy El-Bouliny

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