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Lot Essay
Christie’s is proud to present for the first time at auction a work by the legendary and pioneering Kuwaiti artist, Abudllah Al Qasar. The artist drew his inspiration from the everyday culture in both Kuwait and Egypt, painting daily scenes of people, landscapes, and most notably the traditional fishing practice from the Arabian Gulf. Al Qasar occupies a very special place as part of the first generation of painters who founded Kuwait’s modern art movement.
The present work exemplifies Al Qasar’s sensitivity and appreciation for daily life home ritual of women. In this canvas, the painter uses a very simple yet captivating subject matter to inspire the viewer: a young, beautiful woman, in modest clothing sits on the floor shifting grain. Equally as poetic as the subject is Al Qasar’s style of painting. The use of warm, earthly tones greens, yellows, and browns, along with the comforting sunlight that permeates into the scene and embraces the sitting woman from left to right, conveys a feeling of serenity and peace. The close sense of perspective also allows the viewer to establish a relationship with the woman while she is looking down performing a repetitive act of manual labour – an idea that is further emphasised by the display of the hands and the right foot of the girl. One of the most striking aspects of this painting, however, is Al Qasar’s signature swirling, interconnected lines that span all throughout the canvas. Adapting themselves to the surfaces they cover, these lines create a confusing yet beautifully captivating dynamic that provide depth and movement to the portrait.
The present work exemplifies Al Qasar’s sensitivity and appreciation for daily life home ritual of women. In this canvas, the painter uses a very simple yet captivating subject matter to inspire the viewer: a young, beautiful woman, in modest clothing sits on the floor shifting grain. Equally as poetic as the subject is Al Qasar’s style of painting. The use of warm, earthly tones greens, yellows, and browns, along with the comforting sunlight that permeates into the scene and embraces the sitting woman from left to right, conveys a feeling of serenity and peace. The close sense of perspective also allows the viewer to establish a relationship with the woman while she is looking down performing a repetitive act of manual labour – an idea that is further emphasised by the display of the hands and the right foot of the girl. One of the most striking aspects of this painting, however, is Al Qasar’s signature swirling, interconnected lines that span all throughout the canvas. Adapting themselves to the surfaces they cover, these lines create a confusing yet beautifully captivating dynamic that provide depth and movement to the portrait.