Bonhams score global first with major work by 'Father of Modern Arab Art' at inaugural Mid East auction

Iraqi Jewad Selim's 'Young Man and his Wife' offered at auction for first time.

Considered the 'Father of Modern Arab Art', this is the first time worldwide that Selim's seminal piece 'Young Man and his Wife' has been offered at auction.

Painted in 1953 for Selim's one-man touring exhibition of America, this piece was selected to remain within the family after the exhibition and has rarely been publicly viewed since then.

Due to the early death of the artist in 1961, aged only 41, Selim's paintings are in short supply and 'Young Man and his Wife' - estimated at $200,000 - 300,000 - comes to Bonhams with a distinct provenance, having been contributed directly by the artists' family.

"We are honoured to be able to offer such an important work by Jewad Selim, the father of modern Iraqi art, in our inaugural Middle East sale," said Claire Penhallurick, Bonhams' Director of Islamic and Indian Art.

"Works by Jewad Selim are very rare and particularly such a fine oil painting as 'Young Man and his Wife', which has come direct from the artist's family's private collection. The surviving body of work of this young artist, whose influence was to inspire generations to follow, is extremely important to the history of modern art in the Middle East."

'Young Man and his Wife' is a portrait of the artist and his wife, Lorna - showing the pair staring out of the canvas in the manner of Picasso or Modigliani - draws iconographic inspiration from decoration on 10th century Abbasid ceramics, a style based on simplicity of line and abstract motifs giving it a curiously modern appearance.

Born in Iraq in 1919, soon after its creation, Selim practised both painting and sculpture during his career. The government sent him to Paris in 1938 and Rome in 1939 on scholarships. He spent the rest of the war in Baghdad, then continued his studies at the Slade School of Art in London from 1946 to 1948, where he also exhibited at the ICA and the Tate Gallery.

After his return to Iraq he was made head of the Sculpture Department at the Institute of Fine Arts and established the Baghdad Group for Modern Art, which was made up of painters, sculptors and architects. After the monarchy was replaced in 1958 by the regime of Abd al-Karim Qasim, he created the Freedom Monument (Nasb al-Hurriya) in Tehrir Square bronze, the largest monument built in Iraq in 2,500 years. He died in 1961.

"It is impossible to understand the modern art movement in Iraq without taking into account the works of this pioneer artist. To Selim, art was a tool to reassert national self esteem and build a distinctive Iraqi identity," explained Penhallurick.

"His early death was a shock to the artistic community of Iraq, but his spirit remained and was reignited by a new wave of young artists. After paving the way forward, this new wave picked up Selim's mantle of extending Iraqi art and influence into the rest of the Arab world and globally."

Bonhams will hold its first Middle East art auction sale in Dubai at the One & Only, Royal Mirage Hotel at 7pm on 3rd March 2008. A jewellery and watches auction will be held on the 4th March at the Royal Mirage Hotel.

Viewings are open to the public on Friday 29th February (2-10pm), Saturday 1st March (12-5pm) and Sunday 2nd March (2-10pm).