Showcasing Works from the Prestigious Dalloul Collection
Christie’s recent live sale of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, which prominently featured pieces from the esteemed Dalloul Collection, recorded an impressive £4,944,240 / $6,427,512, surpassing pre-sale estimates. The event saw strong international interest, attracting bidders from 17 countries, including a notable 25% of millennial buyers. With 80% of the lots sold and 92% sold by value, the auction underscored the global appeal and investment potential of Middle Eastern art.
The top lot was Egyptian artist Mahmoud Saïd’s Vue de la plage à Cassata en Grèce (View of the beach in Cassata in Greece), which fetched £844,200, well above its estimated £250,000-350,000. Works from the Dalloul Collection also performed exceptionally. A notable highlight was Palestinian artist Samia Halaby’s Lemon Tree, commissioned privately by Dr. Ramzi Dalloul, which reached £233,100, nearly quadrupling its low estimate.
The sale featured a diverse array of 51 works, including pieces by pioneering artists like Mohammed Al Saleem, whose work Bi nur al-iman, nara al-s’adah (In the light of faith, we see happiness), achieved £630,000, over three times its low estimate. Marwan’s Head also set a record at £378,000, doubling its low estimate. Seven new artist records were established, including milestones for Farid Belkahia, Kamal Boullata, and Ziad Dalloul, reflecting the strong demand for innovative voices from the Arab world.
Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East and North Africa, expressed pride in the results, highlighting the cultural significance of the Dalloul Collection: “Today’s success reinforces the continued international demand for Arab art, with the Dalloul Collection representing a carefully curated selection from the Middle East’s most notable artists. We are grateful to Dr. Basel Dalloul for his dedication to promoting Arab art on a global scale.”
The sale exemplified the Dalloul family’s pioneering role in advancing visibility for Middle Eastern artists. Dr. Moumni paid tribute to their legacy, remarking on how they collected when visibility for Arab art was scarce. He emphasized that collectors like Dr. Basel Dalloul have been instrumental in gaining international recognition for these artists.
Christie’s continues its celebration of Middle Eastern art with an online sale running from October 21 to November 4, featuring 50 additional works from 1921 to 2022, including 13 pieces from the Dalloul Collection.
