Egypt got some secret treasures to amuse and share with the world and they are not great Egyptian ancient treasures.
They are treasures from different civilizations that ended up in the valley of the Nile. Among those treasures, a huge collection of classical European arts from statues and paintings by the greatest artists the world has known in the last 200 years.
European Arts fans can enjoy themselves too in Egypt if they know where to go.
I know some will find it odd, but we got paintings for painters like Monet, Picasso, Goya and Henri Matisse that are worth millions of dollars
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| The girl , the painting and Sculpture |
Last November I went to Aisha Fahmy Palace in one fine afternoon to see its latest exhibit of the Egyptian Museums’ treasures. I went to the Mohamed Ali era exhibit era and it was amazing. Then came this exhibit “The Classical European art pieces in Egyptian Museums” and it blew my mind.
It is the third exhibit in the Egyptian Museums’ treasures exhibit series the Palace has been holding since its inauguration.
Now how those paintings and statues ended up in Egypt. Well, thank Egypt’s fine collectors from Mohamed Ali Royal Family and the rich class from Pashas like Mohamed Mahmoud Pasha Khalil. Those fine collectors were unfortunately nationalized and thankfully those paintings were locked up and kept safely for decades despite attempts to showcase them.
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| The exhibition was held at Aisha Fahmy Palace, which is a piece of art from inside |
That exhibit had paintings and sculptures that came from three main museums: Giza’s Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum, Cairo’s Gezira Center for Modern Art aka Egyptian Modern Art Museum and Alexandria’s Museum of Fine Arts.
It shows a glimpse of Egypt’s own European fine arts collection.
In this post I am focusing only on the paintings I found there.
And our quick tour starts here with Monet
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| "A bridge over a pond" by Claude Monet |
“A bridge over a pond” by legendary French painter Claude Monet and you are right, it is one of his famous series of paintings for that bridge over that pond near his property in Giverny.
It has sisters painting in a different time of the year in the MET, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The British National Gallery, The French Musee D’Orsay.
Sadly, it seems that the world ignores its existence in Egypt’s Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum
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| The White neck Scarf by Renoir |
The famous “The white neck scarf” oil on canvas painting by French Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). It is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil collection, and it is currently in his museum.
It is one of the most famous European art paintings in Egypt as well as in Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection.
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| A scene from the Dominique by Gauguin |
“A scene from the Dominique” by French painter Paul Gauguin (1846-1903). It is part of Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Collection in his museum.
It was not the only Gauguin painting in the exhibit.
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| Monkeys by Goya |
“Monkeys” oil on canvas attributed to Spanish legendary painter Francisco Goya (1746-1828).
It is currently at the collection of Alexandria’s Museum of Fine Arts.
Despite the name “Goya” is written in Arabic on the painting frame, Egypt’s Ministry of culture used the word “attributed” which is quite interesting for me.
I find the painting unique indeed
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| The shepherdess by Levy |
“The Shepherdess”, oil on canvas painting “1870” by French painter Émile Lévy “1826-1890”.
It is currently in Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| Hercule at Antee by Delacroix |
“Hercule et Antee” or “Heracles and Antaeus” by famous French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863 ) of the famous and iconic “Liberty Leading the People” painting.
If I am not mistaken “Hercule et Antee” is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil collection and is at his museum.
Aside from this painting depicting one of the most famous scenes from Greek mythology is not the only Delacroix Egypt owns.
We got another Delacroix painting in Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| The punishment of Prometheus by Delacroix |
This is another Delacroix painting in the exhibit, and it also has to do with Greek Mythology.
It depicts Prometheus daily eternal punishment for stealing the fire and giving it to the humans. The photo is unfair to the painting and does not show all its details.
The painting is currently at Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| Le bornage de Barbizon by Rousseau |
“Le bornage de Barbizon” or “The outskirts of Barbizon”, oil on canvas by French painter Theodore Rousseau “1812-1867”.
It is currently at Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| Mariage De Henri IV by Isabey |
“Mariage de Henri IV” or “The Marriage of Henry IV” by French painter Eugène Isabey (1803-1886).
It is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection and it is currently in his museum.
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| Un philosophe by Pelez |
“Un philosophe” or “A philosopher” by French painter Fernand Pelez (1843-1913) who portrayed reality in the French streets.
I think it is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection and it’s currently in his museum.
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| Le Meuse by Jongkind |
“Le Meuse” or “The Meuse River” (1874), oil on canvas painted by Dutch painter Johan Jongkind (1819-1891).
It is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection, and it is currently in his museum.
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| Princess of Wagram by Winterhalter |
Oil on canvas portrait of Princess of Wagram by German painting Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873).
Winterhalter was specializing in European Royalty and upper-class women portraits in the 19th century.
According to the description of this portrait, the Princess of Wagram was Empress Eugenie’s maid of honour.
It is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil collection and is in his museum.
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| The child and the casserole by Carriere |
“The child and the casserole”, oil on canvas painting by French Eugene Carriere (1849-1906) who was known for a brownish palette.
That spooky painting is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil collection and is currently in his museum.
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| Motherhood by Carriere |
This is another of Carriere’s spooky paintings called “Motherhood” and it is also at the Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum.
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| A portrait of an old by Scognamiglio |
“A portrait of an old man”, oil on canvas painting (1876) by Italian Annibale Scognamiglio. It is currently at the Fine Arts Museum of Alexandria.
I could not find much about Scognamiglio except that he was among the orientalist painters that visited Egypt in the 19th century and stayed for some time in Alexandria interestingly.
Maybe this old man is an Egyptian man after all!!
That impressive portrait was one of the most popular pieces that attracted admirers from Fine arts students to common people alike in the exhibit as I had seen on that day.
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| The students could not ignore this portrait |
Fine arts students came to draw this portrait already.
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| A man carrying a box with a mouse on it by Lancret |
“A man carrying a box with a mouse on it” by French painter Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743).
The oil on canvas painting is current at Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| A lady with a parrot by Stevens |
“A lady with a parrot” by Belgian painter Alfred Stevens (1823-1906).
The oil on the wood painting “that’s a first” is at Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts. It was among the highly featured pieces in the exhibit in the media.
Trivia: Stevens’ father was an art collector who collected several works by Delacroix. “Knew it from Wikipedia”
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| Thusnelda in the triumphal procession of Germanicus |
“Thusnelda in the Triumphal Procession of Germanicus” by an Italian painter called Alex something “I did not get its full name”.
Interestingly, this magnificent painting depicting the capture of Germanic leading figure Thusnelda and her son by the Romans and their humiliating captivity procession is a replica of the original famous painting capturing this historical moment by German painter Karl Von Piloty in 1873.
The original painting is titled “Thusnelda at the Triumph of Germanicus”.
Thusnelda’s sad features and look say it all along with her son Thumelicus. Roman commander Germanicus who led the invasion of Germania is seen on his throne. It is full of amazing details.
It is currently at Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| The drowning of the pharaoh and his army in the exodus |
The exodus scene when Pharaoh and his army drowned.
I do not know the painter and did not catch where it is currently, unfortunately.
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| A painting by Aretino |
I do not know the name of this painting.
The description says it is a historical painting. It was painted by Italian multi-talented and controversial Pietro Aretino (1492-1556).
It is currently at Al Gezira Center for Modern Arts.
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| A painting by Pissarro |
I think this painting calls the picnic and it was painted by Danish-French painter Camille Pissarro (1830-1903).
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| On the left , a portrait by Ricard |
Did not catch the info about the painting of this European lady on the left but the lady is right was painted by French painter Louis Gustave Ricard (1823-1873) who was known for his portraits.
It is interesting that that lady did not imagine for one second that her portrait would end up in a museum in a foreign country.
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| A painting by Rubens |
An oil painting depicting a hunting scene from the orient by Flemish Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640).
It is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection, and it is currently in his museum.
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| A painting by Von Thoren |
Unfortunately, I did not keep the name of this oil on canvas painting but it was painted by Austrian painter Otto Von Thoren (1828-1889).
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| A painting by Von Thoren |
There is a second Von Thoren’s painting too in the exhibit.
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| Amazing painting which I foolishly missed its name and its painter |
Another huge and amazing painting depicting that a sea battle between Italians and Ottomans in the Mediterranean.
I do not remember the name of the artist who made it but he was Italian as far as I remember.
This painting is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection and is at his museum
Missed the painter and the name of this beautiful painting but it is from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil’s collection at his museum in Giza
I do not still have the info of this painting but it is so beautiful.
I guess its name is the “deer in the forest” or “Bambi and co.”
I do not still have the info of that painting depicting a port.
Missed the info on this one as I thought I can depend on the label on the frame, but I can’t read what is written on it.
Still, it is beautiful, and I think it has to do with myths.
Another anonymous painting that is so beautiful.
I think it depicts autumn perfectly.
Another anonymous painting thanks to the fact that I thought iPhone has high pixels like my camera but I was wrong.
Anyhow, the only thing I know about this classical painting that I believe to be very old from its style is that it is at the Fine Arts Museum of Alexandria
Those painting are worth millions and millions of US dollars. They need extra care and extra security and protection.
It is worth mentioning that till now we do not know the fate of that Van Gogh painting stolen from Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum in August 2010. I wished that after the January revolution in 2011 that a thorough investigation was held in that theft, but we all know what happened and how we got busy with other pressing stuff if I may say.
Now here is another shaky video which I filmed all on iPhone with some of those hidden treasures and yes, this is my voice in Arabic.
If you like the video, give it a thump up and subscribe to the channel as from time to time, I upload videos.
Here is the photo album on Flickr: https://bit.ly/3nxCvB1.
Wait inshallah for Volume 2 of this Hidden European Arts of Egypt.
All the photos and video were taken on iPhone 7 plus.
Looking at the Pissarro, I thought it was a cricket match, I didn't know that he had visited England, but yes, he visited a couple of times:
ReplyDeleteCamille Pissarro - Cricket Match at Bedford Park, London, 1897
Interesting indeed.. yes it looks like a cricket match
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