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Lot Essay
Christie's is proud to present a group of works by the Wanly brothers. Delicate, joyful and intriguing, these four paintings epitomise the brothers' celebrated style.
Born in Alexandria respectively in 1906 and 1908 into an aristocratic Egyptian family, the Wanly brothers contributed to the rise of the Egyptian artistic scene by fusing their European influences with the Egyptian visual identity and are widely recognised for their depiction of ballerinas, theatrical compositions and folkloric sceneries. Having enrolled in 1925 in art classes with the Italian painter Otorino Becchi, they became acquainted with the European art movements of their time and subsequently pushed the boundaries of their artistic repertoire to experiment with various styles, including Impressionism, Expressionism, Realism and Cubism. The artistic trends that they discovered were gracefully combined with their traditional and folkloric Egyptian heritage, making their paintings distinguishable amongst their peers. Employing a distinctive style of bright colours and form, their paintings illustrating life in Egypt in the mid-20th century reveal angular lines and vivid hues, harmoniously combined in delicate compositions of which the present works are delightful examples.
In the early 1940s, Seif and Adham established their studio in Alexandria, a place of gathering where intellectuals, art patrons and artists would discuss trends and cultural subjects with the ambition of exposing masses to art and culture. Whereas the two brothers worked closely together and both infused rhythm and a folkloric vibe into their works, their style can be clearly distinguished. Seif's works, with their impulsive and fast paced brushstrokes reveal his dedication to forms and shapes combined within a balanced composition while Adham's paintings question the relationship between line and colour in a rather contemplative manner.
A decade later, the brothers travelled to Nubia, on the upper reaches of the Nile and soon started a series of paintings depicting the rural scenes from the villages they discovered, often with a particular attention given to the vernacular architecture and the local customs and practices of their people. Through flat coloured planes that clearly revealed their European cubist and futurist influences, they portrayed life in Upper Egypt and actively participated in a governmental project aiming to document the culture of the Nubian populations prior to their forced relocation linked to the dramatic flooding, following the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, the present paintings reveal a somewhat joyful and festive environment. Adham depicts scenes of celebration with an almost frivolous tone and simplified lines in which brightly dressed Nubian women and men have gathered to dance and play music. Seif's compositions, on the other hand, are more intricate and depict more placid scenes. Nubians have gathered in the centre of the village and the festivities are ongoing as balloons and flag streamers ornate the clay building, but men and women observe each other, they converse as the sun goes down, but refrain from dancing.
Seif's portrait of a Nubian woman with gold ornaments and aristocratic accessories becomes a pretext for his exploration of cubist aesthetics. Angular shapes and colourful tones are combined in a striking composition while two fishermen in the background allude to the historical events that took place in Aswan. Serene and graceful, the woman perhaps has just reached the land after her forced exile, she is alone with nothing but her jewels, perhaps she was forced to leave behind her home and memories. Sitting alone, perhaps waiting for her family and friends, her portrait contrasts with the other joyful compositions as it is filled with nostalgia and melancholy and thus becomes a symbol for the fate of Seif's homeland and his people.
With dramatic effects of luminosity and movement created by the dynamic juxtaposition of colours and bold lines, particularly in Seif's work, this outstanding group of works stand between abstraction and figuration and evidently recollect the artistic inspirations of the Wanly brothers. The theatrical outcome of their aesthetic completion is exceptional. Like spotlight projections on the delicate silhouettes of the Nubian people, colourful forms intensify the dynamic harmony of their almost theatrical compositions and capture the essence of the folkloric sceneries they have witnessed.
In 1959, the two brothers were granted life-time awards to help support their careers, although Adham, then a professor at the Alexandria College of Fine Arts, did not live long enough to benefit from the award, dying only a few months later at the age of 51. Seif was active on the country's art scene until his death at the age of 73 in 1979.
In 1961, the Alexandria Museum of Fine Arts held a retrospective exhibition of Adham's work, and two years later a museum dedicated to the work of the two brothers was set up in Alexandria.
Born in Alexandria respectively in 1906 and 1908 into an aristocratic Egyptian family, the Wanly brothers contributed to the rise of the Egyptian artistic scene by fusing their European influences with the Egyptian visual identity and are widely recognised for their depiction of ballerinas, theatrical compositions and folkloric sceneries. Having enrolled in 1925 in art classes with the Italian painter Otorino Becchi, they became acquainted with the European art movements of their time and subsequently pushed the boundaries of their artistic repertoire to experiment with various styles, including Impressionism, Expressionism, Realism and Cubism. The artistic trends that they discovered were gracefully combined with their traditional and folkloric Egyptian heritage, making their paintings distinguishable amongst their peers. Employing a distinctive style of bright colours and form, their paintings illustrating life in Egypt in the mid-20th century reveal angular lines and vivid hues, harmoniously combined in delicate compositions of which the present works are delightful examples.
In the early 1940s, Seif and Adham established their studio in Alexandria, a place of gathering where intellectuals, art patrons and artists would discuss trends and cultural subjects with the ambition of exposing masses to art and culture. Whereas the two brothers worked closely together and both infused rhythm and a folkloric vibe into their works, their style can be clearly distinguished. Seif's works, with their impulsive and fast paced brushstrokes reveal his dedication to forms and shapes combined within a balanced composition while Adham's paintings question the relationship between line and colour in a rather contemplative manner.
A decade later, the brothers travelled to Nubia, on the upper reaches of the Nile and soon started a series of paintings depicting the rural scenes from the villages they discovered, often with a particular attention given to the vernacular architecture and the local customs and practices of their people. Through flat coloured planes that clearly revealed their European cubist and futurist influences, they portrayed life in Upper Egypt and actively participated in a governmental project aiming to document the culture of the Nubian populations prior to their forced relocation linked to the dramatic flooding, following the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, the present paintings reveal a somewhat joyful and festive environment. Adham depicts scenes of celebration with an almost frivolous tone and simplified lines in which brightly dressed Nubian women and men have gathered to dance and play music. Seif's compositions, on the other hand, are more intricate and depict more placid scenes. Nubians have gathered in the centre of the village and the festivities are ongoing as balloons and flag streamers ornate the clay building, but men and women observe each other, they converse as the sun goes down, but refrain from dancing.
Seif's portrait of a Nubian woman with gold ornaments and aristocratic accessories becomes a pretext for his exploration of cubist aesthetics. Angular shapes and colourful tones are combined in a striking composition while two fishermen in the background allude to the historical events that took place in Aswan. Serene and graceful, the woman perhaps has just reached the land after her forced exile, she is alone with nothing but her jewels, perhaps she was forced to leave behind her home and memories. Sitting alone, perhaps waiting for her family and friends, her portrait contrasts with the other joyful compositions as it is filled with nostalgia and melancholy and thus becomes a symbol for the fate of Seif's homeland and his people.
With dramatic effects of luminosity and movement created by the dynamic juxtaposition of colours and bold lines, particularly in Seif's work, this outstanding group of works stand between abstraction and figuration and evidently recollect the artistic inspirations of the Wanly brothers. The theatrical outcome of their aesthetic completion is exceptional. Like spotlight projections on the delicate silhouettes of the Nubian people, colourful forms intensify the dynamic harmony of their almost theatrical compositions and capture the essence of the folkloric sceneries they have witnessed.
In 1959, the two brothers were granted life-time awards to help support their careers, although Adham, then a professor at the Alexandria College of Fine Arts, did not live long enough to benefit from the award, dying only a few months later at the age of 51. Seif was active on the country's art scene until his death at the age of 73 in 1979.
In 1961, the Alexandria Museum of Fine Arts held a retrospective exhibition of Adham's work, and two years later a museum dedicated to the work of the two brothers was set up in Alexandria.