Zenab Abd El Hamid (Egypt, 1919-2002)
Scene from Khan El Khalili
mixed media on paper, framed
signed 'Zenab Abd El Hamid' and dated '1970' (lower left), Egyptian Ministry of Culture label on the verso, executed in 1970
63 x 88cm (24 13/16 x 34 5/8in).
Footnotes:
Provenance:
Property from the Artist's Estate

Exhibited:
Zenab Abdel Hamid, Egyptian Ministry of Culture, 15th October 1990


Zenab Abdel Hamid and Ezzedine Hammouda: The Love of Creativity

'Our art school in Cairo, founded in 1908, is two years older than our university, the first professors came from France and Italy. Our most talented graduates used to go abroad. They returned completely absorbed by French Impressionism and other European trends. My generation came into its own in the 50s.

Our cultural development went parallel with the revolution of 1952. We refused to follow foreign trends and tried to create something genuine. We tried to conserve part of our cultural tradition, a unique mixture of pharaonic, Christian, Islamic and Muslim elements, without becoming dogmatic about it, without exploiting our heritage the way artisans and commercial artists often do.'

When we painted a rose, it was supposed to have the smell of the orient. There is something ritual about oriental art. The lines and colors are clear and all parts are equal in our compositions. There are reasons for the purity of colrs and the definite lines in oriental art. In contrast to the cloudy weather in Europe, reflected in the mixed colors and blurry lines by its painters, the sunlight in the East is strong. The outlines and colors are perfectly clear. You can see for miles in the desert. Gaugin's work changed dramatically after he left Paris for the South Seas.'

-Ezzedine Hammouda and Zenab Abdel Hamid

Bonhams are delighted to present works by pioneering artist couple Zenab Abdel Hamid and Ezzedine Hammouda, two prominent Egyptian Modernists who travelled the world after their marriage in 1945, developing their artistic vocabulary in tandem and both making significant contributions to Egyptian Modernism.

Depicting a bustling market in Cairo's historic Al Muiz Street, this large-scale painting by Egyptian artist Zenab Abdel Hamid is a striking example of her bold and dynamic style. Painted entirely in multicoloured outlines against a white background, the composition captures the energy and vibrancy of the street, with its winding alleys, ornate facades, and throngs of people.

Abdel Hamid's use of vibrant colours and dynamic strokes creates a sense of movement and rhythm throughout the painting, drawing the viewer's eye through the busy scene. The intricate detailing of the architecture and urban scenery adds a sense of depth and texture to the composition, while the absence of solid forms or shadows gives the painting an ethereal, graphic like quality.
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