LONDON.- Christie's presents SILSILA: Highlights from the Dalloul Collection including Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, a Live Evening Auction of 40 lots celebrating the extraordinary richness, diversity and dynamism of the Middle East. The sale, led by the Dalloul Collection, offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire museum-quality paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, with estimates for individual works ranging from £12,000 to £250,000. This year's auction also shines light on pioneering female artists whose contributions have been vital to the evolving narrative of Arab art.

Silsila – meaning “chain” or “continuity” in Arabic – symbolises the enduring legacy of the Dalloul Art Collection, Beirut, Lebanon and its evolving collaboration with Christie's, now in its third year and marks the next chapter in the collection's history. Founded by Dr. Ramzi and Saeda Al Husseini Dalloul and now led by their son, Dr. Basel Dalloul, the collection spans five decades and reflects the artistic, political, and cultural shifts of the Arab world. Silsila celebrates this intergenerational journey through a rich selection of works by pioneering artists, underscoring the Dalloul family's dedication to preserving and promoting Arab creativity.

Highlights from the Dalloul Collection to be offered in SILSILA:

• Mahmoud Saïd, La fille aux yeux verts (réplique) (The Girl with the Green Eyes (replica) (1932, est. £250,000–350,000) – The Evening Sale is led by this rediscovered 1932 masterpiece by Egyptian modernist Mahmoud Saïd, whose mysterious subject and intriguing provenance has captivated scholars and collectors alike. The painting highlights the artist's practice of revisiting previous compositions and exemplifies the "Mahmoudsaïdian" woman, a sensuous and enigmatic figure that fuses Egyptian and Mediterranean traits, embodying timeless beauty and securing the painting's crucial place in Saïd's artistic legacy.

• Huguette Caland, Vive la liberté (Long live freedom) (1998, est. £180,000–250,000) – A striking monumental mixed-media panel that captures the viewer with its shimmering, almost ethereal presence. The work reflects Caland's lifelong pursuit of freedom, curiosity and experimentation, celebrated in her recent retrospective Huguette Caland: A Life in a Few Lines at Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid earlier this year.

• Mona Saudi, Shajarat al-Hayat (Tree of Life) (c. 2014, est. £50,000–70,000) – A rare Jordanian jade sculpture in which Saudi expresses feminine energy, fertility, growth and the cycles of life. Saudi's mastery in transforming natural stone into timeless abstraction places her among the leading sculptors of the Arab world, with her works held in the permanent collections of the British Museum, London; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

• Farid Belkahia, Somalia 2 (1994, est. £100,000–150,000) – Using natural pigments, sand, and animal skin, Belkahia evokes ritual, memory, and the connection between body and land. As one of the founders of the Casablanca Art School, he championed a distinctly Moroccan modernism, open to global influences yet firmly rooted in local heritage.

Other Highlights:

• Samia Halaby, Flowers in the Sky for Hala (1995, est. £80,000–120,000) – This work showcases Halaby's lyrical abstraction that defined her later practice and takes inspiration from the complex geometry found in nature. New-York based Palestinian artist Halaby is a leading figure in international abstraction. She received a special mention at last year's 60th Venice Biennale and her pioneering contributions to digital art were recently featured in Tate Modern's Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet. She had a solo presentation at Frieze Masters London 2025.

• Baya, Untitled (Plateau, lampes, fruits et papillons) (1973, est. £20,000–30,000) – A self-taught visionary of North African modernism, Baya transformed her imagination and daily life into vibrant, dreamlike worlds populated by female figures, flora and fauna. Baya's work transcends colonial legacy, orientalist representations, and sexism, leaving an indelible mark on society.

• Gazbia Sirry, Untitled (1968, est. £50,000–70,000) – Celebrated for her depictions of daily Egyptian life and identity and Egypt's socio-political climate, Gazbia Sirry developed a distinct style that synthesised international modernist influences with her local cultural identity. In this work, Sirry captures Cairo's evolving urban landscape, transforming bricks, doors, windows, and inhabitants into dynamic geometric forms. Internationally recognised, she exhibited at multiple Venice Biennales and is represented in major collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris.

Marie-Claire Thijsen, Head of Sale, Specialist, Christie's London and Dubai, remarks: “These auctions are a celebration of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern art. We are honoured to once again present works from the esteemed Dalloul Collection, a cornerstone of the region's art historical narrative that continues to resonate with collectors and institutions around the world. The market for Middle Eastern art remains vibrant and increasingly global, with strong demand for museum-quality works – particularly those by pioneering female artists and established modern masters. Each piece in the auctions carries deep cultural significance and timeless relevance, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire works that are both historically meaningful and of enduring value.”

Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art Online

The Online Sale, running from 28 October to 11 November 2025, presents a curated selection of over 40 lots, complementing the Evening Sale, and enabling collectors globally to engage with and acquire exceptional Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern works. The online format presents work from both established artists together with contemporary talent, ensuring a broad spectrum of opportunity for collectors at all levels. Notable highlights from the online sale include Samia Halaby's Arabic Art from Jerusalem (1995, est. £70,000–100,000), Manal Al Dowayan's The State of Disappearance - Misunderstood Sounds (2013, est. £15,000-25,000) and Tala Madani's Shadow Projection (Animal Hands) 2 (2018, est. £20,000–30,000), exemplifying the breadth and vitality of Arab artistic production today.