Google doodles on late Egyptian painter Seif Wanly's birthday
Ahram Online, , Tuesday 31 Mar 2015
Google dedicates its doodle to late Egyptian painter Seif Wanly (31 March 1906 - 15 February 1979)


Google celebrates what would have been Seif Wanly's 109th birthday with one of his artworks, 'Untitled,' painted around 1950.

The painting was auctioned by Christie's in 2013, within Modern and Contemporary Arab and Turkish Art, with an estimate prize of USD 12,000-18,000.

Born in Alexandria, where he studied art with Italian artist Otorino Becchi, Wanly was one of the most important representatives of Egyptian expressionism. His works were exhibited in Egypt and internationally; he participated several times in the Biennale's of Venice, Sao Paolo and Alexandria. In 1936, he was awarded the Mokhtar Award in painting and in 1959 the first award from the Alexandria Biennale.

"The different styles he used in his paintings were to prove that Alexandria is a dominant factor in the Mediterranean. He revived the heritage of old Alexandria from the Ptolemaic and Roman era to the modern time. The images of Alexandria in his paintings were seen as part of the Mediterranean, more than being related to Cairo or to the heart of Egypt," Wanly's biography published by Cairo's Safarkhan Gallery reads.

In the early 1940, together with his brother, Adham Wanly, Seif founded a studio which became a hub for both artists. After Adham's passing in 1959, Seif's paintings became dominated by surreal elements and dark colors.

The doodle presenting Seif Wanly's work can be viewed in a number of Arab countries, including: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Google has often doodled on anniversaries, and shed light on many renowned international events and figures. On several occasions the doodles has included an Egypt theme, such as doodles aboutEgypt's electionsin the 2011.

The most recent Egypt-related doodle was posted on 20 July 2014, celebrating prominent Egyptian author Sohair El-Qalamawy's 103rd birthday. On 3 July 2014, Google celebrated late Egyptian actorFarid Shawqi's birthday and on 25 January 2015, the late Egyptian filmmakerYoussef Chahine's birthday.

Earlier this month, on 15 March, Google dedicated its doodle to the late Egyptian filmmaker Shadi Abdel-Salam on his 85th birthday.





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