Lot 61: Untitled (Portrait of Ms Attiyah)

Kadhim Haidar (Iraqi, b. 1932) Untitled (Portrait of Ms Attiyah) signed in Arabic (lower right); dedicated in Arabic (on the reverse) oil on canvas 25½ x 31¾in. (64.8 x 80.5cm.) Painted in 1973

64.8 x 80.5cm.

Zuhair Al Attiyah Collection, Baghdad. Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1990s.

The painting by Kadhim Haidar is an elegant portrait of the sister of famous Iraqi politician, Ghassan Al Attiyah. Depicting a very simple and graceful lady, the present composition is a rare example of a different pictorial venture by the Iraqi artist; Haidar is mostly known for his extraordinary ability to seamlessly weave Iraqi socio-political history in his works. This portrait also reveals the artist's intimate ties with the Iraqi elite, given the relaxed pose of the subject. The casual clothing and setting allude to a calm period in Iraqi history, a time that has long passed. Taking a closer look at the aesthetics, the cheery palette of the painting is appealing without being overwhelming, while the artist has given the work a wash of colour to appear as if the image, just like the moment it captures, is fleeting.