Born in Cairo on the 3rd of December 1920 Sabry Ragheb’s skill in painting is unique. Known as the master of portrait, he has excelled as a portrait painter, having been taught by the Egyptian forerunner of this art – Ahmed Sabry.
Ragheb’s work is characterized by his ability to trans-form a simple portrait into a work of art. The faces of his portraits are alive with an expressiveness created with the use of free, close brush strokes. Ragheb entered the Higher School of Fine Arts in 1937 but left his studies the following year to travel to Italy where he studied at Free School which specialized in the use of live models for the teaching of painting. With the outbreak of World War II Ragheb was forced to return to Egypt. but did not continue to at-tend school on a regular basis for the next few years. After the war, in 1949, he returned to Italy, where due to his talent, he resumed his art studies as a third year student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. He also began participating in collective shows during that year. The next year, due to financial difficulties, Ragheb returned to Egypt and continued his studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo from which he graduated in 1952. After his graduation, Ragheb taught at the Ministry of Culture and Education and then moved to the Exhibition Department at the Ministry of Commerce in 1955. The following year, Ragheb received a Fellow-ship from the Ministry of Culture and was able to work full time at his art, which led to his first solo exhibit in 1959. During the 1950s he also traveled to many countries to paint portraits of notable personalities such as President Ahmed Sukarno of Indonesia (1955), Syrian President Shukry El Kuwatly (1956) – for which he received the Decoration of Merit – and General Franco of Spain (1958). Ragheb received prizes for his art from the Salon du Caire in 1963 and 1964 and in 1966 he joined the Heliopolis Housing Company.
He was charged with the task of embellishing the grounds of the Maryland Gardens, which he accomplished by adding statues. In 1970, Ragheb established a museum and exhibition hall at the Gardens. He was also appointed to the position of Art Counselor with the mandate to decorate the Cairo Sports Stadium in Nasr City with works of art.
From 1980 until 1993, Ragheb held yearly exhibits of his work. Today his art can be seen in the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo and in Alexandria as well as in the museums at the Faculties of Fine Arts in both cities. Since 1989, his paintings have risen in value and are in many private collections in Egypt, the United States, Yugoslavia, Italy, China and the Vatican.
Born in Cairo on the 3rd of December 1920 Sabry Ragheb’s skill in painting is unique. Known as the master of portrait, he has excelled as a portrait painter, having been taught by the Egyptian forerunner of this art – Ahmed Sabry.
Ragheb’s work is characterized by his ability to trans-form a simple portrait into a work of art. The faces of his portraits are alive with an expressiveness created with the use of free, close brush strokes. Ragheb entered the Higher School of Fine Arts in 1937 but left his studies the following year to travel to Italy where he studied at Free School which specialized in the use of live models for the teaching of painting. With the outbreak of World War II Ragheb was forced to return to Egypt. but did not continue to at-tend school on a regular basis for the next few years. After the war, in 1949, he returned to Italy, where due to his talent, he resumed his art studies as a third year student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. He also began participating in collective shows during that year. The next year, due to financial difficulties, Ragheb returned to Egypt and continued his studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo from which he graduated in 1952. After his graduation, Ragheb taught at the Ministry of Culture and Education and then moved to the Exhibition Department at the Ministry of Commerce in 1955. The following year, Ragheb received a Fellow-ship from the Ministry of Culture and was able to work full time at his art, which led to his first solo exhibit in 1959. During the 1950s he also traveled to many countries to paint portraits of notable personalities such as President Ahmed Sukarno of Indonesia (1955), Syrian President Shukry El Kuwatly (1956) – for which he received the Decoration of Merit – and General Franco of Spain (1958). Ragheb received prizes for his art from the Salon du Caire in 1963 and 1964 and in 1966 he joined the Heliopolis Housing Company.
He was charged with the task of embellishing the grounds of the Maryland Gardens, which he accomplished by adding statues. In 1970, Ragheb established a museum and exhibition hall at the Gardens. He was also appointed to the position of Art Counselor with the mandate to decorate the Cairo Sports Stadium in Nasr City with works of art.
From 1980 until 1993, Ragheb held yearly exhibits of his work. Today his art can be seen in the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo and in Alexandria as well as in the museums at the Faculties of Fine Arts in both cities. Since 1989, his paintings have risen in value and are in many private collections in Egypt, the United States, Yugoslavia, Italy, China and the Vatican.
