Million-Dollar Arab Masterpieces: Meet The Most Expensive Auctioned Paintings From The Region
Art aficionados and lovers know how much work and talent can be devoted to a piece of art, and that is why many turn into collectors. Many art pieces have gained the privilege of joining the world of auction houses and being sold off to millionaires.
In those very auction houses, many of the paintings were made by Arab artists. Today, we’ll look at the most expensive among those pieces sold off for millions:
Break of the Atom and Vegetal Life ($2.74M)
Blending the East and West, Turkish-Jordanian artist Princess Fahr El-Nissa Zeid was very passionate about art to the extent that she attended two art schools, one in Paris and one in Istanbul.
Weaving those two cultures together, Zeid’s unique painting style flourished. It fuses the traditions of Byzantine icons and Persian painting with Modern Abstraction from Europe.
Back in 2013, her painting “Break of the Atom and Vegetal Life,” made back in 1962, was sold for a record-breaking $2.74 million, making it one of the most expensive Arab paintings to be sold to a buyer. The artwork itself is inspired by Islamic calligraphic aesthetic traditions.
If you pay close attention to it, you will notice how it intricately uses colors and lines in the composition, where different colors morph into each other, including purple, green, red, and so on.
The Whirling Dervishes ($2.54M)
Known as the “father of Egyptian modern art,” Mahmoud Said exemplifies the kind of artist with an avid passion for the world of art. When he was fifty, he abandoned his career as a court judge and instead became a full-time artist. There is even an entire museum dedicated to his art in Alexandria.
Back in 1929, he brought to life a painting called “The Whirling Dervishes,” which depicts the ecstatic whirling of Sufis from the Malawi order, who follow the teachings of Jalal al-Din Rumi. In 2010, that painting gained wide acclaim when it was sold at an astounding $2.54 million during a Christie’s auction.
Sarajevo ($1.14M)
Egyptian contemporary artist Omar El-Nagdi is considered to be one of the most celebrated contemporary Egyptian artists. His talents extend to calligraphy, expressionism, and abstract art. His art also pools from his upbringing in the Bab Al She’reya neighborhood and rural Egypt.
In March 2016, the artist broke his world record, selling his 15M Sarajevo painting for over one million USD, $1.14 million, to be exact. The painting itself exemplifies the essence of pain, which Middle Eastern Art specialist Masa Al-Kutoubi described as “the most expressive documentation of life.”
Untitled by Mohammed Al Saleem ($1.1M)
Known as a Saudi Arabian Postwar and contemporary painter, Mohammed Al Saleem was considered one of the leading artists of his generation and contributed greatly to the evolution of the Saudi art scene. His work was known for fusing modernist abstraction with traditional elements from Saudi life.
In 2023, his 1986 painting broke a world record during Sotheby’s 20th Century Middle East sale. The special artwork was inspired by the Riyadh skyline, and when it was sold, it was sold for a staggering $1.1 million, which was seven times its expected pre-sale cost.
It was considered the world’s highest amount paid for an artwork by a Saudi artist.
The Construction of the Suez Canal ($1.02M)
Abdul Hadi El-Gazzar is considered one of the most important figures of the Egyptian modern art movement. His artwork intertwines elements of fantasy, philosophy, and symbolism, along with pooling inspiration from his surrounding environment and social-political space.
One of his prominent artworks is “The Construction of the Suez Canal,” which depicts that historical moment and holds such a special place in the art community. Back in March 2014, the painting was sold for an impressive $1.02 million.
Each of these paintings not only shows the prowess and artistry of Arab artists but also the power of their environment, culture, and society to depict monumental pieces of artwork.
