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Lot Essay
Salah Taher is considered one of the most prolific painters of the second generation of modern Egyptian artists. Throughout his life, Taher produced an extensive oeuvre with talent and sensitivity, where he explored various styles, from Academic Realism, to Figurative Symbolism, to Abstract Expressionism.
The artist became highly acclaimed for his abstract works, where he broke away from the traditional and academic notion of painting, thus placing himself at the forefront of modern art. Through an ingenious use of colours, expressive technique, and bold contrasts, Taher conveys a powerful passion for the matter and dynamism.
In the present lot, Harmonie, the artist makes a full-fledged display of his mastery of oil painting. The artist incorporates both elements of portraiture and landscape painting to create a complete and eerie scene. The canvas is mostly occupied by the tall-standing characters, which seem to be women dressed in long, traditional, white clothing taking care of their children. In the upper section of the canvas, the viewer is able to catch a glimpse of the landscape in the background– the dunes of a desert – that is topped by a thin glimpse of the sky. The sand that covers the landscape is painted with quick and rough strokes of an intense, bright red, while the sky is a dull and pale grey. Meanwhile, all figures are clearly distinguished from one another through bold black lines and white attire, with some brushstrokes of yellow and grey. This unique use of colours evokes a ghoulish and supernatural atmosphere.
The texture of this painting also takes a leading role. Most often in his works, Taher makes use of hard tools such as the knife to create an additional layer of perspective as well as mysteriousness. Known for mastering this technique, the artist uses the knife to spread transparent coats of diluted paint over his canvases. Art critic Aime Azar, highlights Taher’s breaking away from academic painting and becoming an artist of “vehement contrasts”, creating works that are done with a measured sense of equilibrium.” (A. Azar, La Peinture Moderne en Egypte, Cairo 1961, p. 182).
The artist became highly acclaimed for his abstract works, where he broke away from the traditional and academic notion of painting, thus placing himself at the forefront of modern art. Through an ingenious use of colours, expressive technique, and bold contrasts, Taher conveys a powerful passion for the matter and dynamism.
In the present lot, Harmonie, the artist makes a full-fledged display of his mastery of oil painting. The artist incorporates both elements of portraiture and landscape painting to create a complete and eerie scene. The canvas is mostly occupied by the tall-standing characters, which seem to be women dressed in long, traditional, white clothing taking care of their children. In the upper section of the canvas, the viewer is able to catch a glimpse of the landscape in the background– the dunes of a desert – that is topped by a thin glimpse of the sky. The sand that covers the landscape is painted with quick and rough strokes of an intense, bright red, while the sky is a dull and pale grey. Meanwhile, all figures are clearly distinguished from one another through bold black lines and white attire, with some brushstrokes of yellow and grey. This unique use of colours evokes a ghoulish and supernatural atmosphere.
The texture of this painting also takes a leading role. Most often in his works, Taher makes use of hard tools such as the knife to create an additional layer of perspective as well as mysteriousness. Known for mastering this technique, the artist uses the knife to spread transparent coats of diluted paint over his canvases. Art critic Aime Azar, highlights Taher’s breaking away from academic painting and becoming an artist of “vehement contrasts”, creating works that are done with a measured sense of equilibrium.” (A. Azar, La Peinture Moderne en Egypte, Cairo 1961, p. 182).