Lot 133: * SANAD BASTA (Egypt, 1905-1960) Portrait of a Lady

Sanad Basta (Egypt, 1905-1960)
Portrait of a Lady
oil on canvas, framed
signed and dated "1948" (lower right)
61 x 44cm (24 x 17 5/16in).
FOOTNOTES
Sanad Basta is one of Egypt's forgotten masters; a contemporary of Mahmoud Said, this aristocratic artist is best known for his raw and sensual classical portraiture

Basta began life as a lawyer between 1930 and 1936 before joining the Egyptian diplomatic service where he spent only two years before choosing to pursue a career as an artist. Basta began his professional career as painter in 1938 following training in European studios in Paris , London and Cambridge.

The artist painted his models in his own studio (Darb Ellabbana) in the district of Qalaa (nearby The Citadel of Salah eddin and the Mohammed Ali mosque).

The present unfinished portrait is one of the few works by Basta to ever come to market; as a wealthy landlord with numerous business interests interests , he spent time between Cairo and his plantations in the south of Egypt, and would complete portraits during a series of sittings. The present portrait remains unfinished but still stands as one of the striking and exquisite examples of his ouevre.