Lot 15 – Sami Rafi, Untitled

LOT 15SAMI RAFI (EGYPTIAN 1931-2019)UNTITLED
signed in Arabic and dated 1971 lower right
oil on canvas
71 x 57.4cm; 28 x 22 5/8in
82 x 69.2cm; 32 1/4 x 27 1/4in (framed)

Property from the Zulficar Family Collection, Alexandria

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist’s family by the previous owner
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Estimate
£3,000 – £5,000
Buyer’s premium: 25.00% + VAT

Sami Rafi was a central figure in the development of Egyptian modernism, operating at the intersection of architecture, scenography, and fine art. The younger brother of Samir Rafi (see lots 23 and 24), he was educated at Cairo University and the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Grounded on this fundamental training, Rafi developed a practice characterised by structural rigour and a commitment to civic identity. His work is defined by an analytical approach to form, utilising the principles of architectural drafting to explore the cultural and social landscape of post-revolutionary Egypt.

Rafi is perhaps best known for his contribution to the Egyptian built environment, specifically the Unknown Soldier Memorial in Nasr City (1975). In this work, he recontextualised the pyramidal form through a brutalist lens, creating a hollow, geometric canopy that functions as both a site of national mourning and a study in spatial volume. This project solidified his reputation as an artist capable of translating complex historical narratives into stark, minimalist gestures.

His studio practice was equally disciplined. In his paintings, Rafi synthesised the avant-garde movements he encountered in Europe, such as Cubism and Bauhaus-inspired abstraction, with local folkloric motifs. His compositions are often marked by a rhythmic use of line and a compartmentalisation of space that betrays his architectural training, as evidenced in the present work. By reducing the human figure and the Egyptian landscape to essential geometries, Rafi moved away from mere representation toward a more cerebral, graphic language.

In addition to his visual art, Rafi’s influence on the performing arts was extensive. He designed over 180 sets for the Cairo Opera House and other major institutions, treating the stage as a three-dimensional extension of his canvas. Throughout his tenure as a professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo, he advocated for a multidisciplinary methodology, mentoring decades of practitioners. Today, Rafi is recognised as a pivotal bridge between the classical traditions of the Nile Valley and the precision of 20th century international modernism.