Samir Rafi (Egyptian, 1926 - 2004)
Please note that on 1st of January 2018, the UAE i… Read more PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTOR
Samir Rafi (Egyptian, 1926-2004)

Untitled

Details
Samir Rafi (Egyptian, 1926-2004)
Untitled
signed ‘S. RAFI’ (lower left)
oil on board
28 1/3 x 33 1/3in. (72 x 84.6cm.)
Painted in 1958
Provenance
Anon. sale, Ayyam Gallery, Dubai, 29 October 2010, lot 30.
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Special notice
Please note that on 1st of January 2018, the UAE introduced a VAT regime. For all lots, a VAT charge of 5% of the buyer’s premium will be payable unless the lot is correctly exported out of the UAE within 90 days of the date of this auction. For lots marked with the ‘star’ * symbol in the catalogue, an import duty of 5% of the hammer price will be payable if the lot is collected or shipped within the GCC and an additional VAT of 5% will be charged on the duty-inclusive hammer price if the lot is released into free circulation in the UAE. Please see the Conditions of Sale in the sale catalogue for full details. If you are shipping outside of the UAE, you will need to indicate your shipping requirements and residency status to us prior to bidding to secure a VAT refund.

Brought to you by

Michael Jeha
Michael Jeha

Lot Essay

In his more figurative works, such as this present lot painted in 1958, Samir Rafi still employs his technique of using bold lines and color plains. This composition depicts a woman dressed in pink with a hand resting on her head and the other resting on a man’s chest. The man, laying next to the woman is dressed in blue, and even his exposed skin is painted in a blue hue, which leads us to believe that he is sick and the woman next to him is a family member awaiting his recovery. Placed against a relatively bleak background created with dark and gloomy colors, the figures highly represent what Rafi’s oeuvre is about. Deeply imbedded in figurative surrealism, Samir Rafi never fails to surprise the audience with his captivating colors and lack of perspective.

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