UNTITLED
signed and dated in W. ORFALI / 1992 in English and Widad Orfali in Arabic lower right
watercolour and pen on canvas
99 x 79.6cm; 38 3/4 x 31 3/4in
106.4 x 87.3cm; 42 x 34 1/4in (framed)

Property from a Private Collection, Ontario

Born in 1929, Widad al-Orfali studied at the Beirut College for Women for three years, before attending the Institute of Art in Baghdad studying under artists Faiq Hassan, Faraj Abbo, Ismail al-Shaikhly and other prominent figures. She graduated from the Institute in 1960 and subsequently held her first solo exhibition in West Germany in 1964.

In 1983, Al-Orfali and her cousin established the first private art gallery in Iraq eponymously named the Orfali Gallery that later expanded into a cultural centre, increasing their offerings beyond art exhibitions. The new space hosted musical performances, language classes and poetry readings, and became synonymous as a hub of creativity drawing audiences from far and wide.

Al-Orfali's paintings are known for focusing on fantasy cityscapes, which she calls 'dream cities'. The works amalgamate architectural forms and traditional floral motifs inspired by regions the artists had visited, namely Andalusia and Baghdad.

The present lot is an exquisite work presenting an imaginary view of the skyline of Baghdad, incorporating a myriad of mosques and gardens, as it might have been soon after its creation in CE 762/AH 144 by the second Abbasid Caliph, al-Mansur.