Samir Rafi Explained

Samir Rafi (1926–2004) was an Egyptian modernist painter^[1] who combined modern style with lines inspired from Ancient Egypt. His pieces primarily represented modern Egypt and the surrounding region.^[2] He was inspired by cubism and surrealism, creating artworks both figurative and abstract.

Biography

Samir Rafi participated to his first exhibition age 17, while he was a student of watercolour painter Shafiq Rizq.^[3] In 1944 and 1945 he takes part to the exhibitions organised by the group Art et Liberté. Samir Rafi studied at the College of Fine Arts in Cairo, where he obtained a diploma with specialisation in decorative arts in 1948. That year he joins the Contemporary Art Group movement. He then pursued a doctorate at the Sorbonne University in Paris, where he was one of André Lhote's students.^{[2] [4]}

Rafi taught at the College of Fine Arts in Cairo and mounted exhibitions in Egypt. He later taught arts and history in Algiers.

One of his paintings reached the price of 87,500 GBP at a Christie's sale in 2019.^[5]

Artworks

• Untitled, 1960, oil on canvas, 162.5 x 138 cm, sold 87,500 GPB in 2019 at Christie's ^[5]
• Nus, 1945, oil on canvas, 173 x 163 cm, collection Cheikh Hassan M. A. Al Thani^{[6] [7]}
• La Sorcière, 1946, oil on canvas, 77 x 46 cm, collection Nadim Elias
• Momie ressuscitée, oil on burlap laid down on panel, 1959, 215 x 68 cm, sold for 35,000 GPB in 2018 at Christie's ^[8]

Notes and References

1. Book: 2016-10-17. Sam. 978-1-78672-163-1. en. Bardaouil. Bloomsbury Publishing. Surrealism in Egypt: Modernism and the Art and Liberty Group.
2. http://images.exhibit-e.com/www_ayyamgallery_com/YCA_Auction_Catalogue_21_Jan_20141.pdf Catalogue Exhibit 2014
3. Web site: 2024-01-24. Artdaily. Green Art Gallery opens an exhibition of works by Egyptian artist Samir Rafi. artdaily.cc.
4. Web site: Samir Rafi - Artist Facts . 2024-01-23 . www.askart.com.
5. https://www.christies.com/lot/samir-rafi-egyptian-1926-2004-untitled-6230345/?intobjectid=6230345&lid=1 Christie's sale 2019
6. Book: Sam . Bardaouil . Till . Fellrath . 2016. 978-2-37074-030-4. 85. Centre Pompidou/Skira/Art reoriented. Bardaouil et Fellrath 2016 . exhibition, Europe, 2016-2018.
7. Book: Matthew Gale. 2021. Stephanie. 978-1-58839-727-0. en. D'Alessandro. 72 and 323 . The Metropolitan Museum of Art . D'Alessandro et Gale 2021 . Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, exhibition 4 October 2021-30 January 2022, and Tate Modern, London, exhibition, 25 February - 29 August 2022
8. https://www.christies.com/lot/samir-rafi-egyptian-1926-2004-momie-ressuscite-6163317/?intObjectID=6163317&lid=1 Christie's sales