Fateh MOUDARRES (Syrie,1922–1999)

The Village Magician and His Donkey Oil and sand on canvas 70 x 50 cm painted in 1978 signed in Arabic lower right "Moudarres"; signed, located and dated "F. Moudarres Damascus 1978", signed, titled and dated in Arabic on the back Christie's sale, Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art Part II, Dubai, October 24, 2012, reproduced on page 23 of the catalog. Private collection, London The present painting is a masterpiece by the artist in which he tells the story of a magician who visited an abandoned village with his donkey Fateh Moudarres was, from his earliest childhood, in search of the magic he found in the sand, the wind and the infinite landscapes, the natural elements that surrounded him. In order to obtain an almost magical effect, he often used sand that he mixed with colors and glue. The magician of the village and his donkey is a story invented by the artist when he moved to the city. He then turned to painting urban scenes as seen in the background of this painting. In the 1960s, following his travels in Europe, Fateh Moudarres was inspired by the paintings of Marc Chagall (1887 -1985). In The Village Magician and His Donkey, the composition alludes to the happiness, dreams and compassion that resonate in the work of the French-Russian artist.