HALI NEWSLETTER No. 408

[View this email in your browser]( Olympia Auctions will hold its inaugural 'Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art' live and online auction on 11 May at 12pm BST. Preview the lots on 9 May from 10am–7pm and 10 May from 10am–5pm. The sale consists of a selection of 88 paintings, prints and sculpture from Africa including the Maghreb, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa. The department is particularly delighted to offer pieces from the collection of H.E. Dr Mohammed Said Farsi (1935 - 2019). Dr Farsi stands as one of the most influential figures in the recent development of Middle Eastern visual arts and culture. The acclaimed Farsi collection continues to garner interest from collectors and institutions alike, comprising some of the finest examples of the region’s contemporary cultural expression. Dr Farsi’s fondness for Egypt from his experience studying in Alexandria shaped his tastes and drove the formation of his modern Egyptian art collection. As he said 'Living intimately within Alexandria’s enchanted atmosphere of the 1950s had the greatest effect in forming my artistic consciousness.' Offerings from his collection include works by Egyptian artists such as Abdel Hadi Al Gazzar (1925-1966), Adham Wanly (1908-1959), Hamed Nada (Egyptian 1924-1990), Mohammed Naghi (1888-1956) and Seif Wanly (1906-1979). The sale also offers pieces from the Middle East and Iran, such as the striking ‘Pome Green’ by Reza Derakshani (b.1952). Shown above is a portrait of Professor Abbas Fawzi by Seif Wanly (1906-1979), signed in Arabic, gouache on paper ([Lot 17](. [View the sale.]( [News] We are pleased to announce the commencement of a HALI Tour programme, after a hiatus of more than three years. HALI Tour offers exclusive access to the best carpet and textile treasures in museums and private collections around the world. The tours enable us to share contacts and experience gathered over 45 years of researching and compiling material published in HALI magazine first-hand, and guarantee encounters with little-seen pieces in the company of experts and fellow enthusiasts. Please join the HALI Tour mailing list to receive upcoming HALI Tour news by email and to be first to receive brochures as new tours launch. [Subscribe to the HALI Tour mailing list.]( [News] Welcome back to [#RugFactFriday]( During the month of May, we are using the HALI archive to assist our exploration of ikat weavings. In the new issue, HALI 215, the ‘Common Thread’ feature discusses ikat, presenting ten textiles from the David Paly Collection that demonstrate how varied these weavings can be. Some are made solely in warp ikat, others in weft ikat, and some in a combination of the two (double ikat). One of the examples discussed is a furnishing silk imberline (detail), Florence, second half 17th century. Silk warp, linen weft, warp faced satin weave. David Paly Collection (shown here). The earliest dateable ikats of European manufacture are striped, warp-dyed fabrics made in 17th-century Italy and France. Striped ikat furnishing fabrics were sometimes called fiamma in reference to their flame-like motifs. This imberline (linen-weft satin) would have been used for drapery and upholstery. Its design may be indebted to Safavid brocades arriving on the continent via trading centres like Venice. Another intriguing example is a woman’s robe (munisak), Bukhara, last quarter 19th century. Silk velvet, cotton weft, warp ikat. David Paly Collection. It is likely that the first full-scale commercial ikat production in Uzbekistan began in late 18th-century Bukhara. Ikat velvet uses more yarn than plain-weave fabrics; it also required design adaptations and was therefore more expensive to produce. It was manufactured only in Bukhara for a period, circa 1850 –1910, and was most often used for dowry garments like this munisak (woman’s outer robe). Read about other intriguing examples in our new issue, HALI 215. Be sure to follow HALI magazine on [Instagram]( and [Facebook]( to never miss a Rug Fact Friday post. [Buy HALI 215.]( We are in the process of revising our privacy policy. If you would like to unsubscribe click [here](. [Follow Us] [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Been forwarded this email and want to receive it regularly? Subscribe to this newsletter]( Copyright © 2023, Hali Publications Ltd., All rights reserved. [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences](