- 47
Shakir Hassan Al-Said
Description
- Shakir Hassan al-Said
- The Family
- signed in Arabic; signed Shaker Hassan Al Said, titled and dated 1953 on the reverse
- oil on wood
- 49 by 38.7cm.; 19¼ by 15¼in.
Provenance
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2001
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Following his formal education in painting at the Institute of Fine Arts, in Baghdad between 1949 through 1954, he received a state scholarship upon graduation to further pursue his studies. He further developed on his arts education in Paris between 1955 through 1959 studying painting and art history at the Académie Julien, the École des Arts Decoratifs and the École Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts.
Prior to his move to Paris, Shakir Hassan Al-Said’s rendition of a family as a subject matter played significant part of his oeuvre. As seen in the present work, Al-Said draws on the folkloric iconography of the Iraqi identity to present a cubist interpretation of family. He intertwines elements of abstraction as seen in the foreground of the painting with central figurative characters which are divided in a lattice like web further amplifying the cubist mannerism. Al-Said’s works from the late 1940s up until 1954, when he left for Paris, were characterized by a palette that drew from the same tribal colours used in Iraqi ancient carpets. The body of his works prior to the Paris years showed an affinity and a fascination with themes that were fashionable in Europe; yet avant-garde for the Iraqi art scene.