Mahmoud Mokhtar


Mahmoud Mukhtar was an Egyptian sculptor. He attended the School of Fine Arts in Cairo upon its opening in 1908 by Prince Yusuf Kamal, and was part of the original "Pioneers" of the Egyptian Art movement. Despite his early death, he greatly impacted the realization and formation of contemporary Egyptian art. His work is credited with signaling the beginning of the Egyptian modernist movement, and he is often referred to as the father of modern Egyptian sculpture.

History

Born in the Nile Delta in a small village called Douar skouila, in the region of Mahalla al-Kubra, in the village of Tanbara, where his father was the mayor. Mukhtar moved to Cairo as a child with his mother, and in 1908 joined the newly founded Egyptian School of Fine Arts.

Museum

The Mukhtar Museum in Cairo houses Mahmoud Mokhtar's works in various media.

Legacy

A Google Doodle on 10 May 2012 commemorated Mokhtar's 121st birth anniversary.