UNTITLED
initialed and dated 3-6-78.III S.R lower centre
watercolour and ink on paper
43 x 30cm; 17 x 11 3/4in
67 x 55cm; 26 1/4 x 21 3/4in (framed)

Property from the Zulficar Family Collection, Alexandria

Provenance
Mohamed Said (acquired from the son of the artist)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Born in Cairo to a multi-confessional family, Samir Rafi received early artistic training under Hussein Youssef Amin before attending the School of Fine Arts, where he developed a distinct style apart from Western academic art. His originality gained support from educators and led to a graduation project inspired by surrealism. After earning honours in 1948 and completing further studies at Ain Shams University, Rafi taught in several schools and became a professor at Cairo University. In 1954, he moved to Paris on a scholarship, studying modern art and museology, and pursuing his PhD at La Sorbonne. There, he engaged with major artists but ultimately travelled to Algeria in 1964, where he was briefly imprisoned, later teaching art history in Algiers before settling back in France.

Rafi's career emerged during Egypt's turbulent 1930s and '40s, interacting with movements like Art and Liberty, which opposed Fascism and embraced Surrealism. While influenced by these groups, Rafi co-founded the Contemporary Art Group, focusing on local Egyptian themes rather than Western or colonial art. His works often highlighted everyday people and integrated mystical elements rooted in Egyptian folk culture. Rafi also referenced ancient Egyptian art and traditions, fusing them with modern techniques. His artistic legacy lies in blending symbolic imagery from Egypt’s past with contemporary issues, making him a key figure in modern Egyptian art. Samir Rafi died in Paris in 2004.