MOHAMMED BEN ALI R'BATI (Moroccan, 1861-1939). Figures in a Mosque, Mixed media on paper (gouache, watercolor and/or pen). Signed lower right hand corner. Framed. Not examined out of frame. - Size (approx): Sight: 29.5 x 23 inches; frame: 35.5 x 30 inches Estimate $18,000-25,000
PROVENANCE: Acquired from a senior member of the Royal Moroccan court
ARTIST PROFILE: Mohammed ben Ali R'bati was also known as Ben Ali Rabbati, was a Moroccan painter and cook who was described as "the father of Moroccan painting". He was known for his blend of traditional influences with European-style art with his paintings mainly revolved around life in the city of Tangier, where he was lived. Born in Rabat where he received an Islamic education, R'bati and his family moved to Tangier at 25 where he pursued a career as an artisan carpenter and as a chef. During his youth, R'bati had practiced illustration as a hobby, but was never formally trained in arts. R'bati preferred watercolor on paper as a medium over oil on canvas. He frequently painted Tangier, its qasba, and its inhabitants. He painted simplified human figures, and often painted a large, colorful scene with several people. He always signed his paintings in Arabic. He is considered one of the first Moroccans to indulge in European-style painting. He is described as a modernist.
