Mahmoud Saïd

Mahmoud Saïd (1897–1964), one of the catalysts of Modern Arab Art, was born into the aristocratic circle of Alexandria, being the son of former Egyptian Prime Minister Mohamed Saïd Pacha, and later becoming the uncle of the future Queen Farida of Egypt. Saïd forged his own unique style, deeply rooted in the true Egyptian character and daily life he observed around him, fused with his Western artistic training. Saïd’s intrinsically Egyptian style emerged in conjunction with the rise of nationalism in Egypt and undeniably paved the way for the search of a national identity through art, giving birth to Modern Egyptian Art.