Lot 31: Khaled Al-Rahhal (Iraqi, 1926-1987)

Khaled Al-Rahhal (Iraqi, 1926-1987)
Horses and Bulls
signed and dated in Arabic (upper left)
acrylic and silver leaf on canvas.
32 x 41¾in. (81 x 106cm.)
Painted in 1976

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, UAE

Animals fill a wide variety of roles in myths and legends. In addition, they may play tricks, symbolize human qualities, or terrorize humans. The bull represents a tremendous energy and a symbol of virility. It controls love affairs and determines how many children a woman will bear. However, the horse, both elegant and mysterious, is often representative of femininity and fertility in Babylonian mythology.
By painting this dualistic myth, nature appears graciously in Al Rahhals work by taking us back to his Iraqi origins and giving us a breathe of the ancient Sumerian mythology.