LONDON.- Christie’s announces the bi-annual Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sales, taking place this autumn in London live on 31 October at Christie’s headquarters and online, 21 October - 4 November. Building on the success of last year’s Marhala: Highlights from the Dalloul Collection, Christie’s will offer a second group of 48 exceptional artworks from the Dalloul Collection, Beirut, Lebanon, across the live evening and online auctions. Formed by the late visionary art collector Dr. Ramzi Dalloul and his wife, Saeda El Husseini, and advanced by their son, Dr. Basel Dalloul, the Dalloul Art Collection, is unparalleled in its breadth and depth and reflects an extraordinary level of connoisseurship. Their decades of travel across the Arab region combined with their deep relationships with artists, have shaped a collection that boldly celebrates Arab artistic diversity and culture.

Highlights coming to auction include works by pioneering modern masters Marwan, Dia Al-Azzawi and Mohamed Melehi, exciting contemporary works by Ahmed Mater and Ibrahim El-Salahi, as well as strong female representation by Samia Halaby, Etel Adnan, Yvette Achkar and Baya.

The first iteration of Marhala: Highlights from the Dalloul Collection took place at Christie’s London in November 2023, selling 99% by value and 96% by lot, establishing 4 world records for Arab artists and engaging bidders from 14 countries.

Lemon Tree (estimate £60,000-80,000 | US$81,000-110,000) features alongside two striking 1970s experiments in abstraction by pioneering female artist Samia Halaby (b. 1936, Jerusalem). The artist who was recently celebrated at the 60th Venice Biennale made Lemon Tree as a special commission for Dr Ramzi Dalloul. The art of North Africa is prominently represented with Untitled by Mohamed Melehi (1936, Asilah – 2020 alongside works by Farid Belkahia, Mohammed Chabâa and remarkable female artists Baya and Chaïbia Talal. Another highlight from the Dalloul Collection is Artificial Light by visionary Saudi contemporary artist Ahmed Mater (B. 1979, Tabuk), an impressive large-scale photograph from the artist’s renowned Desert of Pharan series (estimate £70,000-100,000 I US$94,000-130,000).

The Desert (estimate £120,000-180,000 | US$160,000-240,000) by Aref El Rayess (1928, Aley - 2005, Aley) is a highlight from the various owner section of the auction. Captivated by the light of the Arabian desert, the artist developed a significant series of desert landscapes in which he sought to capture the changing light, vastness and spiritual dimension of the desert. Mahmoud Saïd’s (1897, Alexandria - 1964, Alexandria) Vue de la plage à Cassata en Grèce (View of the beach in Cassata in Greece), (estimate £250,000-350,000 | US$340,000-470,000) is a seascape by the father of Egyptian modernism that was previously held in the collection of the artist's daughter, Nadia Mahmoud Saïd.

Other works of note include Marwan’s (1934 Damascus – 2016 Berlin) Head, a rare and imposing masterpiece from the artist’s facial landscape series (estimate £180,000-250,000 | US$250,000-330,000). Untitled, is an exemplary pre-revolution mirror-mosaic work by Iranian female artist Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian (1922, Gazvin - 2019, Tehran), which was exhibited in Epic Iran: 5000 years of Culture at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London in 2021 (estimate £70,000-100,000 | US$94,000-130,000). The work leads a strong Iranian group that features important pieces by Bahman Mohasses, Manoucher Yektai, Sohrab Sepehri as well as contemporary names such as Tala Madani, Timo Nasseri and Farhad Moshiri. A masterpiece by one of the founders of Saudi Arabia’s modernist movement Mohammed Al Saleem (1939, Marat - 1997, Prato) Bi nur al-Iman, nara al-s’adah (In the light of faith, we see happiness) (estimate £180,000-250,000 | US$250,000-330,000) comes from the collection of the artist’s family.

Dr Ridha Moumni, Chairman, Christie’s Middle East and Africa comments, ‘Christie’s is honoured once more to present ‘Marhala: Highlights from the Dalloul Collection’ as part of our Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sales this season. One of the foremost collections of Arab art, now led by Dr Basel Dalloul, Marhala Part II is a result of his desire to ensure the most comprehensive representation of Arab art within the collection and reflect on artists working today. The sale presents rare museum-quality pieces that offer an unique opportunity for our global audience, including those who were introduced to these artists at this year’s Venice Biennale, to engage with remarkable works from modern and contemporary artists. It provides a platform to raise the visibility of Arab art internationally, a shared goal of both Christie’s and Dr Basel Dalloul.’

Marie-Claire Thijsen, Head of Sale, Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art comments, ‘This season’s auctions are a testament to the rich creativity and diversity of artists from the Middle East and are representative of the growing interest in and demand for Arab art across the modern and contemporary categories. The works across both sales include masterpieces by established artists as well as exciting work by emerging talent. It offers existing and new collectors the opportunity to engage in shifts in the wider art world of looking beyond the artistic production of the West and recognising the immense talent of artists from the Middle East’”

The Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art Online sale 21 October – 4 November, includes approximately 50 works spanning painting, drawing, photography and sculpture from 1921 to 2022, including 13 works from the Dalloul Collection.

Estimates across the sales range from £4,000-£250,000 I US$5,400 – 335,000.

A highlights exhibition of works from the forthcoming sales is taking place from 27 September - 6 October at Christie’s DIFC in Dubai. The exhibition is open to the public and free to attend. Further opportunities to view early highlights from the sales include 12 – 18 October and 19 – 23 October during the Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets sale view at Christie’s London. A dedicated view will take place at Christie’s, King Street from 26 – 31 October.