Moulay Ahmed Drissi

Estate of the Artist
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 1995

There is a fine hairline craquelure on the bottom left quadrant, 6 cm from the left edge of the composition. There are no sign of restoration. The colours in the catalogue illustration are accurate, with the overall tonality tending towards brighter colours.
"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."

Sotheby’s is delighted to be offering three representative works from the prestigious modern collection of Dr. Abdeslam Boutaleb. These works include those by Moulay Ahmed Drissi (lot 52), Mohamed Ben Allal (lot 54) and Chaibia Tallal (lot 57).

Born in Rabat in 1947, Dr. Boutaleb developed a passion for art and became one of the pioneering gallerists in Morocco’s blossoming art landscape in the 1980’s.  He decided to open his gallery following the earthshaking success of the landmark exhibition at the Batha Museum in Fes. Boutaleb has also extensively written throughout his career. His writings on the brutal and naïve art movement of Morrocco (Jaguar Edition), brought him to notoriety amongst his peers. His activity as a gallery owner and as a profound collector have brought him to prominence as an active member of Morocco’s art scene. His collection synthetizes the essence of those movements and brought to light the importance and value of Morrocan naïve art. 

"It appears–and most critics today agree–that the Moroccan modern art was born at the confluence of two trends. Without going back to prehistoric art, it can be considered that two major influences are combined. On the one hand, the Arab-Muslim art, which oscillates between the figurative aesthetics and pure abstract aesthetics (calligraphy), for which the image usually has the status symbol; secondly folk art reflects the expertise of artisans (wood, copper, zellige and weaving). Subsequently, the introduction of easel painting, with the advent of Western painters from the 19th Century (Delacroix, Matisse) and the creation of art schools from the Protectorate, marks the birth of Moroccan Modern art." Dr. Boutaleb, 2015