Page 235 - Features of an Era
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tinuing to train her; special studio was dedicated to her at her father’s palace in
the suburb of Heliopolis. She participated in Egyptian and European exhibitions and
won medals of excellence quite often.
She participated in the first major art exhibitions that were known in modern
Egyptian art. Her artworks were presented alongside the artworks of first leading
Egyptian artists.
This was documented by a number of Egyptian art historians. This is what
Muhammad Sidqi Al-Jabakhanji (1993-1910), the critic historian, wrote on the
«History of the Artistic Movement in Egypt until 1945» page 38, published by the
Egyptian General Book Organization in 1986, in which is quoted: «In 1919, a year
after the end of the First World War, Fouad Abdel Malik returned from his tour of
Europe, founded «House of Arts and Crafts», and called for holding an exhibition at
it under the auspices of Huda Sha’arawi. Mukhtar and his colleagues Muhammad
Hassan, Ragheb Ayad, Youssef Kamel, Mahmoud Said, Muhammad Nagy, Chafik
Charobim, and other leading artists, who graduated from the Egyptian School of Fine
Arts in the second era, as well as Roger Breval, Beppi Martin and Charles Pouglan,
participated in this exhibition. Former Prince Muhammad Ali bin Khedive Tawfiq and
Princess Samiha Hussein, daughter of Sultan Hussein Kamel, participated in this first
exhibition.
In addition, this artist princess played a prominent role in establishing these
most important first exhibitions, and contributing to support and coordinate with
the organizers of these exhibitions. On pages 39 and 40 of Al-Jabakhanji’s book,
he indicated her role in sponsoring two exhibitions held in 1920 and 1921 by the
Egyptian Association of Fine Arts, now (Society of Fine Arts Lovers). This is quoted
in «In 1920, the second exhibition was held, and achieved the same success, which
led to the thought of the establishment of the Egyptian Society of Fine Arts, which
organized two exhibitions: the first in 1921 and the second in the spring of 1922. In
this first exhibition catalog was stated that it was opened in April 15th, 1921 under
the honorary presidency of Prince Youssef Kamal and Her Sultanic Highness Princess
Samiha Hussein, the Honorary President of the Ladies Committee; the executive
committee consisted of Izzat Bey Shukri, Chairman of the salon, Kamel Bey Ghali
and his wife, members, Dr. Sami Kamel, Monsieur Paul Alfred Viss, the contractor,
and Mahmoud Mukhtar. The jury consisted of Mahmoud Mukhtar, Chairman,
Ragheb Ayad, Secretary, the painter Gabriel Beisi, Director of the Egyptian School
of Fine Arts 1927-1914, Muhammad Hassan, the engineer Kamel Bey Ghalib, the
sculptor Othman Mortada El-Desouki, and the painter Youssef Kamel, members. The
number of exhibitors reached 55 artists, including 32 Egyptian artists and 23 artists of
different nationalities. According to the exhibition catalog, Princess Samiha Hussein
presented a statue of her father Sultan Hussein Kamel, a bust of a rural girl and a
maquette for a national project.
The role of Samiha Hussein continued to be influential in establishing the first
sessions of Cairo Salon. This is evident by the text of Al-Jabakhanji’s book on page
43 «Cairo Salon exhibition was held in 1923 under the auspices of Princess Samiha
235
the suburb of Heliopolis. She participated in Egyptian and European exhibitions and
won medals of excellence quite often.
She participated in the first major art exhibitions that were known in modern
Egyptian art. Her artworks were presented alongside the artworks of first leading
Egyptian artists.
This was documented by a number of Egyptian art historians. This is what
Muhammad Sidqi Al-Jabakhanji (1993-1910), the critic historian, wrote on the
«History of the Artistic Movement in Egypt until 1945» page 38, published by the
Egyptian General Book Organization in 1986, in which is quoted: «In 1919, a year
after the end of the First World War, Fouad Abdel Malik returned from his tour of
Europe, founded «House of Arts and Crafts», and called for holding an exhibition at
it under the auspices of Huda Sha’arawi. Mukhtar and his colleagues Muhammad
Hassan, Ragheb Ayad, Youssef Kamel, Mahmoud Said, Muhammad Nagy, Chafik
Charobim, and other leading artists, who graduated from the Egyptian School of Fine
Arts in the second era, as well as Roger Breval, Beppi Martin and Charles Pouglan,
participated in this exhibition. Former Prince Muhammad Ali bin Khedive Tawfiq and
Princess Samiha Hussein, daughter of Sultan Hussein Kamel, participated in this first
exhibition.
In addition, this artist princess played a prominent role in establishing these
most important first exhibitions, and contributing to support and coordinate with
the organizers of these exhibitions. On pages 39 and 40 of Al-Jabakhanji’s book,
he indicated her role in sponsoring two exhibitions held in 1920 and 1921 by the
Egyptian Association of Fine Arts, now (Society of Fine Arts Lovers). This is quoted
in «In 1920, the second exhibition was held, and achieved the same success, which
led to the thought of the establishment of the Egyptian Society of Fine Arts, which
organized two exhibitions: the first in 1921 and the second in the spring of 1922. In
this first exhibition catalog was stated that it was opened in April 15th, 1921 under
the honorary presidency of Prince Youssef Kamal and Her Sultanic Highness Princess
Samiha Hussein, the Honorary President of the Ladies Committee; the executive
committee consisted of Izzat Bey Shukri, Chairman of the salon, Kamel Bey Ghali
and his wife, members, Dr. Sami Kamel, Monsieur Paul Alfred Viss, the contractor,
and Mahmoud Mukhtar. The jury consisted of Mahmoud Mukhtar, Chairman,
Ragheb Ayad, Secretary, the painter Gabriel Beisi, Director of the Egyptian School
of Fine Arts 1927-1914, Muhammad Hassan, the engineer Kamel Bey Ghalib, the
sculptor Othman Mortada El-Desouki, and the painter Youssef Kamel, members. The
number of exhibitors reached 55 artists, including 32 Egyptian artists and 23 artists of
different nationalities. According to the exhibition catalog, Princess Samiha Hussein
presented a statue of her father Sultan Hussein Kamel, a bust of a rural girl and a
maquette for a national project.
The role of Samiha Hussein continued to be influential in establishing the first
sessions of Cairo Salon. This is evident by the text of Al-Jabakhanji’s book on page
43 «Cairo Salon exhibition was held in 1923 under the auspices of Princess Samiha
235