Ismael Al-Sheikhly (Iraqi, 1924-2002)

The present lot is an outstanding early example of the work of Ismael Al-Shaikhly. Depicting watermelon sellers in traditional dress, the composititon, with its subtle yet insistent emphasis on the curvilinear versus the straight line, is clearly related to the style of Jewad Selim, as is the subject of the watermelon itself, yet the combination of strong abstract geometry with realistic detail is something new in Iraqi painting.

The quality of this painting was recognized at the time, and it was exhibited in Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia (now Serbia) in a travelling exhibition of Iraqi art in 1960.