Abdulhalim Radwi

Private Collection, Jeddah
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner circa 1996

Condition: This work is in very good condition. Some light water drip marks to the upper right section of the painting. A 1cm section of paint loss to the upper right area. No signs of restoration under the UV light. Colours: The colours in the catalogue illustration are accurate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Abdulhalim Radwi’s love of art was an inherited one. His mother was a painter and nurtured his young talent, actively encouraging him to pursue art. His career blossomed in the mid-1950s but he set himself apart from his contemporaries by winning the first official painting competition while in high school in Saudi Arabia. 

Radwi’s fascination and love for art never wavered. In 1961 he travelled to Rome to study Fine Arts, solidifying his artistic standing in the Saudi art community. Radwi was the first Saudi to study abroad and return to Riyadh as an art teacher, creating a Western inspired artistic instruction. Later, he obtained a doctorate from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid in 1979, and then went on to become the director of Jeddah’s Centre for Fine Arts from 1968 to 1974.

In Untitled, Radwi captures the vibrancy of the city. He depicts a futurist city landscape blending traditional Ottoman architecture with a contemporary one. The strong focus on the architectural façade is highlighted by the various shades of blue. These colourful geometric shapes are a testament to his time spent in Europe and the influence of Cubism. He combined these inspirations with a traditional subject matter to create an image that conveys the magnificence and atmosphere of the old-town Jeddah's unique in style and execution. The treatment of his canvases with the swift and unstructured movements of his palette knife is reminiscent of many of the European modernists.

Furthermore, his trademark double signature in both Arabic and English confirms his desire to merge two cultural paradigms and reconcile two seemingly opposed traditions.  During his experience in Italy, Radwi gained a wealth of experience of European techniques that he introduced to his students. He was driven by the conviction that art has a cerebral function in an environment that considered it as ornamental. According to Radwi, the very essence of a piece lies not in its physicality but in the emotions it triggers.

Radwi's oeuvre is a delicate and poetic balance of tradition and innovation. His ability to merge popular culture and sentiments with newly acquired artistic techniques serves as a precursor to contemporary Saudi art today.