Arab Figure Painting

Posted on April 22, 2024 by JMN

Last December The Times published an article about an exhibition at Columbia University’s Wallach Art Gallery, titled “Partisans of the Nude: An Arab Art Genre in an Era of Contest, 1920-1960.”

The show spotlights 85 rarely seen works in the nude genre, including paintings, sculptures and drawings created after the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1922, as Arabs transitioned from living under British and French rule to independence. The exhibition raises several questions: What is considered nude art? Who gets to create it? And what does it mean to be Arab?
(Sara Aridi, “Spotlighting the Body in a Nascent Arab Art World,” New York Times, 12-14-23)

I was especially taken by the following painting:

Hamed Abdalla, “Al-Haml (Pregnancy),” 1959,… At the Wallach Art Gallery. Credit… via Dar Abdalla. [New York Times caption and illustration]

(c) 2024 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.
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6 Responses to Arab Figure Painting

  1. Sue Grey-Smith's avatar Sue Grey-Smith says:
    April 23, 2024 at 12:07 am

    How very interesting Jim. I had no idea that there had ever been any Arab figure painting. The one you have posted is wonderful!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. Zettl Fine Arts's avatar Zettl Fine Arts says:
    April 23, 2024 at 6:50 am

    I just checked Hamed Abdalla, great works! Never heard of him before. Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. gederedita's avatar gederedita says:
    July 8, 2024 at 6:28 am

    nice. Great art work

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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