The public accomplishment

Being one of the first Iraqi artists to study abroad, Hafidh al Droubi began his formal arts education at the Academia Reale in Rome in 1937 and later at the Goldsmiths College in London. Born in Baghdad in 1914, Droubi’s upbringing was that of modesty. Prior to his initial leave from Iraq, he co-founded the Society of the Friends of Art in 1941 alongside Jewad Selim (1921-1960), Faik Hassan (1914-1991), and Abdul Qadir al Rassam (1882-1952). Upon returning to Iraq after graduating from London in 1950, he integrated himself in the emerging art scene. In 1953, Droubi established the Impressionist Group in correlation with his career as an art educator. This group greatly followed the thinking of Droubi, in that his educational agendas to be able to approach creation with various techniques and stylistic angles. Despite the name of the group, they rarely followed impressionist rules of technicality. They never really developed a consistent style, but instead refned a mutual outlook towards art training developing styles of their own. Well appreciated, Droubi’s works have been shown in several solo and group shows, and are also parts of prestigious art collections. He was a crucial figure in the field of art education and was an essential asset to the growth of modernism in Iraq. He was greatly dedicated to providing knowledge and resources to the future artists of Iraq. He instilled the values of art education in his students and his peers, and was able to take his practice beyond the boundaries of limitations set by certain styles. Deeply advocating for the beneft of art and artists, Hafdh al Droubi will remain one of the most celebrated Iraqi artists to date. As he continued to push for art education, his imprint on Modern art will continue to prosper even years after his death.

Lot 6, entitled The Public Accomplishment, is a more fgurative piece where we can still see these geometric elements merging with naturalism. Using cool and earthy tones, Droubi portrays the people celebrating the attainment of their right to their natural resources. Known as the ‘City Painter’, the artist maintained dependability to his subject matter, Iraqi streets. Hardly straying from this theme, Droubi used marketplaces and interior scenes of Iraq's cities and villages as his main source of inspiration. In his work, Droubi always had a craving to dive into the inmost darkest ends of humanity; to explore the dismal condition of the Iraqi people and how this has involved ideas of the self and human spirituality.

Lot 7, a study for a classical painting, shows the process in which Droubi worked. Still using a cool tone palette, the artist is portraying a scene in Hatra where the subjects seem to be having a religious celebration. As opposed to the other two lots by this artist, this study is purely figurative, with little to no abstract elements. This shows that Droubi begins his process with a study of naturalism, and rendering, almost perfectly, his surroundings.