Described as a “painter of music”, Sabry Ragheb (1920-2000) was considered one of the most prominent artists of the Arab world.
Using impressionist techniques to reveal the inner radiance of his subjects, Ragheb avoided harsh lines relying instead on colour, shadow and space to render the human face. The focus on emotional, subjective depictions over physical likeness, allowed Ragheb to capture fleeting gestures that revealed the personalities of his subjects, giving his works a sentimental, intimate quality.
“Human drawing is one of the most difficult colors in the arts,” wrote Ragheb. “because it is not a photographic transfer...it requires the artist to enter the human soul into the depths.”