3rd Jun, 2026 12:00
Live Sale: Modern & Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art, June 2026
43
NAJIB YOUNIS (IRAQI 1930-2007)
DRUMMERS
signed and dated Najib Younis / 2000 in Arabic lower right
oil on canvas
79.4 x 93.6cm; 31 1/4 x 36 3/4in
99.8 x 114cm; 39 3/8 x 44 7/8in (framed)
Property of a Private Collector, London
Najib Younis was a cornerstone of the 20th century Iraqi art movement, celebrated for his ability to blend academic precision with a deep, soulful devotion to his homeland. Born in Mosul, he refined his craft in Cairo during the 1950s, where he mastered the nuances of Impressionism under Egyptian masters. However, rather than remaining in the sphere of European styles, Younis returned to Iraq to pioneer a movement known as "Popular Realism," focusing his lens on the vibrant daily life, architecture, and people of his native city.
Beyond his technical mastery of oils and portraiture, Younis was a visionary educator who shaped the artistic landscape of Northern Iraq. He founded the University Studio at Mosul University and established several departments at the Institute of Fine Arts, ensuring that future generations had the tools to express their own cultural identity. By the time of his passing in 2007, he had earned his place as a pioneer of Iraqi art, leaving behind a vast body of work that serves as a luminous, historical record of Mosul’s enduring spirit.
Najib Younis’s artworks are held in several prestigious public and private collections that focus on modern Arab and Iraqi art. Because he was a central figure in the "Pioneers" movement, his work is often featured in institutional surveys of Middle Eastern modernism.
The most notable collections include The Ibrahimi Collection (Amman/Baghdad), Dar Al-Anda Art Gallery (Amman, Jordan), The Museum of Modern Art (Baghdad), the University of Mosul Collection and Private Collections in the UAE and Bahrain.
Sold for £11,000
DRUMMERS
signed and dated Najib Younis / 2000 in Arabic lower right
oil on canvas
79.4 x 93.6cm; 31 1/4 x 36 3/4in
99.8 x 114cm; 39 3/8 x 44 7/8in (framed)
Property of a Private Collector, London
Najib Younis was a cornerstone of the 20th century Iraqi art movement, celebrated for his ability to blend academic precision with a deep, soulful devotion to his homeland. Born in Mosul, he refined his craft in Cairo during the 1950s, where he mastered the nuances of Impressionism under Egyptian masters. However, rather than remaining in the sphere of European styles, Younis returned to Iraq to pioneer a movement known as "Popular Realism," focusing his lens on the vibrant daily life, architecture, and people of his native city.
Beyond his technical mastery of oils and portraiture, Younis was a visionary educator who shaped the artistic landscape of Northern Iraq. He founded the University Studio at Mosul University and established several departments at the Institute of Fine Arts, ensuring that future generations had the tools to express their own cultural identity. By the time of his passing in 2007, he had earned his place as a pioneer of Iraqi art, leaving behind a vast body of work that serves as a luminous, historical record of Mosul’s enduring spirit.
Najib Younis’s artworks are held in several prestigious public and private collections that focus on modern Arab and Iraqi art. Because he was a central figure in the "Pioneers" movement, his work is often featured in institutional surveys of Middle Eastern modernism.
The most notable collections include The Ibrahimi Collection (Amman/Baghdad), Dar Al-Anda Art Gallery (Amman, Jordan), The Museum of Modern Art (Baghdad), the University of Mosul Collection and Private Collections in the UAE and Bahrain.
Auction: Live Sale: Modern & Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art, June 2026, 3rd Jun, 2026
If you want to start collecting striking modern and contemporary art in a newly developing market, our sales are for you. Each spring and autumn, the Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Department hold tightly curated, live and online auctions. Expect to find Arab artists such as Rabab Nemr, Ahmed Farid, Seif Wanly and Fateh Moudarres. African artists featured have ranged from modern masters such as Ablade Glover, Sam Ntiro and Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, to contemporary artists George Lilanga, Jilali Gharbaoui, Famakan Magassa, Christano Mangovo, Oluwole Omofemi, Esther Mahlangu and Brett Seiler.
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 31st May: 12pm to 4pm
Monday 1st June: 10am to 8.30pm (Drinks 6-8.30pm)
Tuesday 2nd June: 10am to 5pm
