Oil on board
Hassan Mohamed Hassan (born Cairo, 1906) is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Egyptian modern art, along with peers including Saeed El-Sadr and Ahmed Osman. His work — as illustrated in this piece — was heavily influenced by classical forms, but he interpreted them in a modernist way.
Pencil on paper
Hassan’s solo retrospective at Ubuntu shows the scope of his talent, with oil and watercolor paintings on display alongside pencil sketches such as this one. Like many Egyptian artists of the period, Hassan’s work was deeply patriotic, seeking to establish a new national identity that remained true to Egypt’s heritage after Ottoman occupation.
Watercolor on paper
This market scene is typical of the artist’s depictions of life in Egypt, focusing on everyday scenes and regular people. While many of Hassan’s works are on public display — including six in the Egyptian Museum of Modern Art — this show is a rare chance to see so much of his art collected in a single space.
