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Lot Essay
Shafik Eshtai, was intrigued to research visually the great Syrian revolt (1925- 1927) in light of a government commission to commemorate its leader Sultan Pasha Al Atrash. A monument of him was built in the late 1980s in the southern part of the Syria in the village Al-Qrayya, just 20 kilometers south of Suwayda where the artist is from. That monument was then used to move the remains of Al Atrash and is a place where the independence of Syria is celebrated each year. Al Atrash is considered one of the main reasons for the independence of Syria and Lebanon from the French Mandate. The French body captured and jailed many revolutionary men in 1925 so Al-Atrash called for the revolution against them.
This battle was a very important turning point in the greater Syria early 20th century history and its road to independence. This revolution lasted two years in which Al Atrash led many successful battles against the French troops. The most famous was the battle of Al Kafr, 21st of July 1925 and the second was the battle of Al Mazra’a on the 2nd of August 1925. France sent thousands of troops to Syria and Lebanon from Morocco and Senegal equipped with modern weapons, compared to the few supplies of the rebels, which Eshtai tried to capture in his battle scene. This dramatically altered the results and allowed the French to regain back many cities, killing almost 4,000 people along the way. Although the resistance lasted until the spring of 1927, the French sentenced Sultan Al Atrash to death, namely after he refused France’s offer in granting the independence for the mountain area only, and demanded the full total independence and unification of the whole country. France was strong to kill the revolution seeds in 1927. When he had to hide in east Jordan for a decade. He returned in 1937 to Syria after the signing of the Syrian French treaty and was welcomed like a hero. He continued his battle against the enemy until Syria was granted its independence in 1946. In these battles Eshtai depicted these prominent figures such as Ibrahim Hanano (1869-1935) the founding father of the national bloc and Saleh Al-Ali (1884-1950).
The importance today of these battles lies in the diversity of the fighters, where all factions among them, including Sunni, Druze, Alawite, Maronite, Christians and Shia came together with the one goal of ending the French rule. They failed in the 1920s but ultimately received their independence in the 1940s. The artist’s deep call in recreating this scene and heroic act is to remind the people of this land and the bond that is stronger than politics and different sectarian differences which is sadly now ruling the Arab world. The work instead recalls a time when these rebels all united with one goal and ultimately made a change.
This battle was a very important turning point in the greater Syria early 20th century history and its road to independence. This revolution lasted two years in which Al Atrash led many successful battles against the French troops. The most famous was the battle of Al Kafr, 21st of July 1925 and the second was the battle of Al Mazra’a on the 2nd of August 1925. France sent thousands of troops to Syria and Lebanon from Morocco and Senegal equipped with modern weapons, compared to the few supplies of the rebels, which Eshtai tried to capture in his battle scene. This dramatically altered the results and allowed the French to regain back many cities, killing almost 4,000 people along the way. Although the resistance lasted until the spring of 1927, the French sentenced Sultan Al Atrash to death, namely after he refused France’s offer in granting the independence for the mountain area only, and demanded the full total independence and unification of the whole country. France was strong to kill the revolution seeds in 1927. When he had to hide in east Jordan for a decade. He returned in 1937 to Syria after the signing of the Syrian French treaty and was welcomed like a hero. He continued his battle against the enemy until Syria was granted its independence in 1946. In these battles Eshtai depicted these prominent figures such as Ibrahim Hanano (1869-1935) the founding father of the national bloc and Saleh Al-Ali (1884-1950).
The importance today of these battles lies in the diversity of the fighters, where all factions among them, including Sunni, Druze, Alawite, Maronite, Christians and Shia came together with the one goal of ending the French rule. They failed in the 1920s but ultimately received their independence in the 1940s. The artist’s deep call in recreating this scene and heroic act is to remind the people of this land and the bond that is stronger than politics and different sectarian differences which is sadly now ruling the Arab world. The work instead recalls a time when these rebels all united with one goal and ultimately made a change.