ARTDAILY
 |
| Mahmoud Sabri, The Death of a Child, 1963, oil on canvas, 137 by 196cm. Est. £350,000-500,000. Courtesy Sotheby's. |
LONDON.- Appearing on the market for the first time since it was acquired directly from the artist in the 1980s, this powerful masterwork by celebrated Iraqi artist encapsulates the artist’s avant-garde style and unique subject matter – rendered on an impressive scale. The poignant painting will now be offered as a highlight of Sotheby’s bi-annual 20th Century Art / Middle East sale on 30 April, with an estimate £350,000-500,000.
Born in Baghdad in 1927, Sabri took a subversive stance against the era’s repressive Ba’athist regime, writing a manifesto that would lead to a long period of exile for the artist. His openly political works provide insights into the socio-political issues of the time, as he engaged in several paintings that sought to depict the suffering and plight of the Iraqi populace. [
More]
