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Lot Essay
Probably one of the most captivating paintings by Tunisian artist Ammar Farhat, La Mariée holds a very special place in the history of Tunisian art. It comes from one of the most important private collections in Tunisia before being acquired by the Dalloul Art Foundation.
Born into extremely modest circumstances in western Tunisia and illiterate for much of his early life, Ammar Farhat became one of the most recognisable and celebrated artists in the country. Entirely self-taught, he learned to paint and draw while working various humble jobs: as a street vendor, baker, soap seller, and construction worker. It was on the streets, selling his sketches and caricatures, that his artistic talent first attracted public attention. A keen observer of Tunisian society, his innocent yet perceptive gaze offered a raw and genuine reflection of the people and life around him, depicting some of the most illustrious genre scenes in Tunisia and North Africa.
As a young, promising artist, Farhat became a central figure in the Ecole de Tunis, the celebrated post-independence movement of painters who defined a new pictorial language and iconography for modern Tunisia. He collaborated with several notable contemporaries, including his friends Hedi Turki, Zoubeir Turki, Jellal Ben Abdallah, Safia Farhat, Abdelaziz Gorgi, among others.
Deeply rooted in his modest background and always closely tied to his family, Farhat dedicated much of his work to depicting key aspects of Tunisian social life: scenes of daily labour, music, religious rituals, and especially marriage ceremonies, which hold deep symbolic and social significance in Tunisian and broader North African culture. Marriage became a recurring theme in his exploration of womanhood and community traditions.
Painted in 1977, La Mariée is centred on the solemn figure of the bride, surrounded by a procession of women dressed in the traditional Tunisian wedding attire known as "futa wa blouza," rendered in a vibrant palette that reflects the rich chromatic heritage of North African female garments. The bride gently tilts her head forward, her eyes closed, radiating a sense of humility and introspection in this significant moment of her life. Encircled by family and friends in a paved street flanked by traditional houses with open windows, the scene exudes both intimacy and ceremony as they proceed in the bridal procession along a Tunisian street.
This painting showcases Ammar Farhat’s mature use of colour and composition, qualities that distinguished his work throughout the 1960s and 1970s. It reflects his deep naturalism and his ability to capture the poetic beauty of everyday Tunisian life; qualities that made him one of the most beloved artists in the country’s modern art scene.
Born into extremely modest circumstances in western Tunisia and illiterate for much of his early life, Ammar Farhat became one of the most recognisable and celebrated artists in the country. Entirely self-taught, he learned to paint and draw while working various humble jobs: as a street vendor, baker, soap seller, and construction worker. It was on the streets, selling his sketches and caricatures, that his artistic talent first attracted public attention. A keen observer of Tunisian society, his innocent yet perceptive gaze offered a raw and genuine reflection of the people and life around him, depicting some of the most illustrious genre scenes in Tunisia and North Africa.
As a young, promising artist, Farhat became a central figure in the Ecole de Tunis, the celebrated post-independence movement of painters who defined a new pictorial language and iconography for modern Tunisia. He collaborated with several notable contemporaries, including his friends Hedi Turki, Zoubeir Turki, Jellal Ben Abdallah, Safia Farhat, Abdelaziz Gorgi, among others.
Deeply rooted in his modest background and always closely tied to his family, Farhat dedicated much of his work to depicting key aspects of Tunisian social life: scenes of daily labour, music, religious rituals, and especially marriage ceremonies, which hold deep symbolic and social significance in Tunisian and broader North African culture. Marriage became a recurring theme in his exploration of womanhood and community traditions.
Painted in 1977, La Mariée is centred on the solemn figure of the bride, surrounded by a procession of women dressed in the traditional Tunisian wedding attire known as "futa wa blouza," rendered in a vibrant palette that reflects the rich chromatic heritage of North African female garments. The bride gently tilts her head forward, her eyes closed, radiating a sense of humility and introspection in this significant moment of her life. Encircled by family and friends in a paved street flanked by traditional houses with open windows, the scene exudes both intimacy and ceremony as they proceed in the bridal procession along a Tunisian street.
This painting showcases Ammar Farhat’s mature use of colour and composition, qualities that distinguished his work throughout the 1960s and 1970s. It reflects his deep naturalism and his ability to capture the poetic beauty of everyday Tunisian life; qualities that made him one of the most beloved artists in the country’s modern art scene.