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LECTURE

“Mahmoud Said in his Egyptian Environment - Between Modernist Trends and the Orientalist Gaze”

Silvia Naef, University of Geneva

Sapienza Università di Roma, 6.3.24

 

The Sapienza Università di Roma organised the conference “Searching For The Light.The Life And Work Of Mahmoud Saïd, Pioneer Of Egyptian And Arab Modernism”, which will take place on March 6 2024.

Silvia Naef will present her paper, entitled: “Mahmoud Said in his Egyptian Environment - Between Modernist Trends and the Orientalist Gaze.” Unlike many other Egyptian artists of the pioneers’ generation, Mahmoud Said had not studied at the newly founded Cairo Fine Arts School, but took art classes privately in Alexandria, later on at the Académie Julian in Paris. Himself a member of the ruling aristocracy, which he often portrayed, Said is known for his representations of rural scenes and less affluent urban neighborhoods, in a very personal style. However, as sometimes in his contemporaries’ works, an Orientalist touch can be detected. Situating Said in his larger Egyptian context, this paper will try to analyze if this reading has any consistency or if other interpretations would be more appropriate.