Seif Wanly Egyptian, 1906-1979

The versatility in composition he brought to his paintings, and his pioneering legacy helped to cement Alexandria as a dominant cultural and artistic hub of the Mediterranean and the world at the time.

Seif Wanly was born in Alexandria in 1906 and studied art at the studio of Antonio Becci. He travelled to various European countries and participated with his brother, Adham, in seventeen private exhibitions abroad. His works were exhibited at the Biennale of Venice, the Biennale of Sao Paulo in Brazil and in numerous Biennales of Alexandria. In 1936 he received the Mahmoud Mokhtar award for printing.

 

In 1953 he received the gold medallion at the Afro-Asian exhibition and in 1959 he again received the Mahmoud Mokhtar award at the Biennale of Alexandria. His works are on display in the museums of Cairo and Alexandria. After he completed his studies with Becci, he established his own studio with his brother Adham Wanly (1908-1959), who was also an artist. Both brothers began their life in art by applying classical western styles before turning to expressionism with an Egyptian flair. Seif soon moved on however, experimenting in fauvism, at which he excelled. After his brother’s death Seif’s paintings were rendered mostly in shades of black, before his work turned to the realm of fantasy with the use of different unconventional colours which he applied to a variety of topics in his painting.

 

After 1961 his work became dominated by the study of specific subjects and a marked attention to detail. This is evident in his portrayals of theatre scenes, specifically the daily and behind-the-scenes studies of musicians, ballerinas, actors, and comedians who became an integral part of his life. He lived among them and essentially became one of them, which is how he came to excel at portraying them. The versatility in composition he brought to his paintings, and his pioneering legacy helped to cement Alexandria as a dominant cultural and artistic hub of the Mediterranean and the world at the time. He revived the heritage of old Alexandria from the Ptolemaic and Roman eras to the modern period, portraying the port city more as part of the Mediterranean and a global metropolis, rather than exclusively of Egypt.