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Lot Essay
One of the leaders of the Baghdad Modern Arts Group in the 1950s, Iraqi sculptor Khalid Al-Rahal is best known for his infamous work Al Jundi Al Mahjoul, or the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Baghdad which has cemented his place in Iraqi Modern art history. Having studied under Jewad Selim, Al-Rahal also worked with the Directorate of Antiquities in Baghdad and as a result was very much influenced by the sculptures of early Mesopotamia, particularly those of Babylon and Assyria.
In the present work, the influence of these ancient civilisations is palpable, as each of the figures' small rounded heads with elongated, almost squared, torso shows a fusion of ancient Sumerian sculptures with a European sensitivity that is a result of Al-Rahal's exposure to Western art during his studies in Rome at the Academy of Fine Arts. The artist's use of simple lines contrasts with the compactness of its structure and in its juxtaposition of structure and form, Al-Rahal manages to instil a sense of movement within a familial unit that delights and enchants.
In the present work, the influence of these ancient civilisations is palpable, as each of the figures' small rounded heads with elongated, almost squared, torso shows a fusion of ancient Sumerian sculptures with a European sensitivity that is a result of Al-Rahal's exposure to Western art during his studies in Rome at the Academy of Fine Arts. The artist's use of simple lines contrasts with the compactness of its structure and in its juxtaposition of structure and form, Al-Rahal manages to instil a sense of movement within a familial unit that delights and enchants.