LANDSCAPE
signed and dated N. CHAURA. / 1949 lower right
oil on canvas
101.3 x 152cm; 40 x 60 in
unframed

Property of a Private Collector, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Provenance
Acquired in Beirut, Lebanon by the US Naval Attaché in 1958
Thence by descent to the present owner

Nasser Chaura, born in Damascus, is recognised as the father of Syrian Impressionism. His childhood views inspired much of his art, which evolved through impressionist, abstract, and new realist phases over his fifty-year career. After attending high school in Damascus, where he developed a passion for the arts, he co-founded the National Conservatoire at age sixteen. Guided by Michel Karsha, Chaura chose to pursue painting over traditional careers encouraged by his family.

Chaura furthered his studies in Rome and Cairo, and was instrumental in establishing artist collectives such as the Andalusia Forum and Studio Veronese, vital hubs for modern Syrian art. His own studio in Damascus became a centre for creative exchange with local and foreign artists. He helped found the Faculty of Fine Arts at Damascus University, teaching there for over thirty years and influencing future generations of Syrian artists.

Notable works like Landscape (1949) showcased his distinct impressionist style, while in the mid-1960s he transitioned to abstraction, co-founding the Damascus Group. By the 1970s, he returned to landscapes, blending impressionism and abstraction. Chaura continued experimenting with technique until his death in 1992, creating evocative scenes shaped by lifelong inspiration from Damascus.

His works are held in important collections, including the Dalloul Art Foundation, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait, Atassi Foundation, Dubai, The Dubai Collection (includes a work courtesy of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum), the National Museum of Damascus, the Ministry of Culture Damascus, The Ibrahimi Collection, Amman, and the Jalanbo Collection.