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拍品專文
Hussein Bicar, born in 1913 in Alexandria, Egypt, was celebrated for his genius as an artist, poet, musician, and art critic. After graduating from the Cairo School of Fine Arts, he dedicated his life to painting and teaching art in schools and universities. Bicar’s work as an illustrative journalist propelled his artistic practice to evolve into one of observing, documenting, and visually translating life onto canvas. Further inspired by his journeys to Nubia, a culturally rich region between Egypt and Sudan, Bicar was deeply immersed in its art, history, and traditions, which he avidly honoured in his paintings following the population’s exodus in 1970.
Bicar’s style transcends any homogenous category, instead blending realism, figurative surrealism and influences from ancient Egyptian art. Within his extensive body of work, his portraits are renowned for their realism, while his landscape and figure paintings display a more stylised, figurative technique. This versatility is further accentuated in his use of multiple mediums, including watercolours, tempera, and oil paints. Ultimately, his compositional approach and earthy colour palette, reminiscent of Nubian wall art, confirm Bicar’s deep appreciation for his homeland’s artistic heritage.
The present lot, titled Misr Al Salaam ( Egypt of Peace), was painted in 1995, a year marked by political unrest brought by tense parliamentary elections and a troubling human rights situation. Set against a backdrop of subdued greys, tans, and sage greens, painted with distinct brushstrokes that evoke a sense of movement, is a central figure of a woman dressed in white, with gold earrings shining through her blue veil, encircled by four white doves.
While the title itself implies the artist’s longing for stability in the face of turmoil, the female figure surrounded by doves serves as a powerful visual statement. Indeed, the recurring depiction of doves – universal symbols of peace – in Bicar’s work reaffirms his continuous yearning for peace and his sensitivity to the struggles faced by his people.
Bicar’s style transcends any homogenous category, instead blending realism, figurative surrealism and influences from ancient Egyptian art. Within his extensive body of work, his portraits are renowned for their realism, while his landscape and figure paintings display a more stylised, figurative technique. This versatility is further accentuated in his use of multiple mediums, including watercolours, tempera, and oil paints. Ultimately, his compositional approach and earthy colour palette, reminiscent of Nubian wall art, confirm Bicar’s deep appreciation for his homeland’s artistic heritage.
The present lot, titled Misr Al Salaam ( Egypt of Peace), was painted in 1995, a year marked by political unrest brought by tense parliamentary elections and a troubling human rights situation. Set against a backdrop of subdued greys, tans, and sage greens, painted with distinct brushstrokes that evoke a sense of movement, is a central figure of a woman dressed in white, with gold earrings shining through her blue veil, encircled by four white doves.
While the title itself implies the artist’s longing for stability in the face of turmoil, the female figure surrounded by doves serves as a powerful visual statement. Indeed, the recurring depiction of doves – universal symbols of peace – in Bicar’s work reaffirms his continuous yearning for peace and his sensitivity to the struggles faced by his people.