HASSAN EL GLAOUI | FOURTEEN RIDERS

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Born into a prominent Moroccan family, Hassan El Glaoui was the son of the last Pasha of Marrakech, Thami El Glaoui ‘The Lord of the Atlas’. A gift of a pony from his father at the age of ten instilled a passion for horses in the young Hassan, and he would have witnessed his father on horseback on numerous occasions. In conjunction with horse riding experiences in his formative years, the ‘Tbourida’ or ‘Fantasia’ tradition, popular amongst the Berbers of Morocco, would come to play a major part in his artistic practice – representing them in all their majesty in numerous works. The Tbourida is an ancient tradition practised in the Maghreb region, involving men on horseback, riding and firing old muskets in a synchronised fashion. This spectacle is commonly exhibited during monarchical and cultural celebrations. The ‘Tbourida’ tradition of the Berber people is captured in Fourteen Riders, as he depicts figures dressed in traditional clothing, with their muskets being readied to be fired and the movements of the horses with reverent grace. El Glaoui offers in his work an unadulterated vision of his home, his paintings are sincere snapshots of the traditions of his people.