Book: Catalogue Raisonné

Mahmoud Saïd (1897-1964), one of the catalyzers of Modern Arab Art, was born into the aristocratic circle of Alexandria, being the son of former Egyptian Prime Minister Mohamed Saïd Pacha, and later becoming the uncle of the future Queen Farida of Egypt. Saïd forged his own unique style, deeply rooted in the true Egyptian character and daily life he observed around him, fused with his Western artistic training. Saïd’s intrinsically Egyptian style emerged in conjunction with the rise of nationalism in Egypt and undeniably paved the way for the search of a national identity through art, giving birth to Modern Egyptian Art. To some extent, this dynamic artistic scene in Egypt combined with its political situation sparked similar nationalistic expressions through art in surrounding Arab countries such as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.