Abdul qâdir AL RASSAM (Irak, 1882 - 1952) Lot n° 68

Walk along the Tigris River Oil on canvas mounted on panel 45 x 62 cm signed and dated in Arabic "Abdul qâdir 1901" lower left titled in Arabic "Nuzhat ealaa nahr Dijla" on the lower right painted in 1901. Private collection Paris Sale "Visions of the Orient, from Orientalism to Contemporary Art", 4 November 2011, Christie's, Paris. Abdul-qâdir Al-Rassam On this painting of the Tigris, by 'Abdul-qâdir al Rassâm, very ancient means of navigation, "Goufa and/or Kouffa are represented. The oldest boat of this type dates back to Sumerian times. It is still used today by the inhabitants of the marshy areas of the Tigris-Euphrates estuary. When Iraq seemed to have regained its national identity after the separation from the Ottoman Empire, many Iraqis who had emigrated returned to the country to help build its future. Some of them were former soldiers and officers in the Ottoman army, and some of these officers had been seduced by the paintings and drawings adorning the Turkish palaces, as well as the picturesque mountain, sea, and country landscapes. Abdul-qâdir Al-Rassam was part of the first generation of modern Iraqi painters. He is at the heart of a group of artists trained in Istanbul who upon returning to their homeland, brought back in their luggage their oil colors, their experiences as painters, the memory of what they had seenụ and felt in front of nature, as well as the memory of the camps and military life. This group of artists is credited with introducing easel painting to Iraq at the turn of the century. Working in a realistic style, al-Rassam is known for his grand landscapes, immaculate portraits, and faithful depictions of daily life in Iraq. He is one of the most prominent and prolific painters in the history of modern Iraqi art and his work has strongly influenced subsequent generations. Using the same academic style as his early colleagues, al-Rassam painted with a frank realism, capturing views of the Iraqi countryside. The clarity found in oil paintings is used to its fullest by the artist, who is known for his mastery of perspective and detail. He often painted panoramic views of historical sites along the Tigris River. The ruins of Ctesiphon or the Great Mosque of Samarra were particularly iconic representations in al-Rassam's work. The Tigris flowing through Iraq was the main theme of many of his paintings. Meandering as it recedes through expert use of perspective, the river and the activities surrounding it compose a vast but serene landscape. A collection of al-Rassam's work was housed at the Pioneer Museum in Baghdad and the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art until the museum's collection was destroyed and looted in 2003. He also created a mural adorning the entrance of the Royal Cinema in Baghdad which was the first large-scale artwork to be displayed on a public building. Later, he traveled to Italy, France, Germany and England to further his artistic knowledge.