Arts of the Islamic World & India
Auction on 23 October
An Umayyad bronze buck, signed by Abdallah ibn Thabit, made for Ubaydallah ibn Jaber, probably Iraq, 8th century (estimate: £2,000,000-3,000,000)
One of the finest surviving cast animal bronzes from the Umayyad and early Abbasid periods, this rare depiction of a buck is a major addition to the understanding of figurative sculpture in the second century of Islam. A masterpiece of metalwork, the statuesque piece is imbued with a powerful presence and stature, coupled with intricate and crisp detailing, and is one of only a handful of known very early animal aquamaniles with a documentary inscription (the few other known examples held in museum collections). This exhibition in Dubai marks its first time on public view.
An illuminated Qur’an, copied by the master calligrapher Ya’qut al-Musta’simi, Baghdad, Iraq, dated 674 AH/1275-6 AD (estimate: £600,000-800,000)
The exhibition will present a Qur’an copied by the foremost practitioner of Arabic calligraphy, Yaqut al-Musta’simi. By far the most famous calligrapher in the history of Islamic art, his works have – for over 700 years – been among the most sought-after examples of the Islamic arts of the book. This example is an exciting addition to a very small corpus of manuscripts reliably attributed to the calligrapher, and provides an insight into the workings of the royal scribal ateliers of Baghdad in the late thirteenth century.
A group of twelve pottery dishes, Iraq, Abbasid, 9th/10th century (estimate: £40,000-60,000)
This elegant set of iridescent bowls perfectly showcases the decorative technique of lustreware – one of the most sophisticated, expensive and difficult of the period – which is thought to have originated in Abbasid Iraq in the 9th century, by potters who sought to imitate the shine of gold. These beautiful examples offer a rich array of designs, from animal motifs to abstract palmettes.
A double-sided illustrated leaf from the Khawass al-ashjar (De materia medica) by Dioscorides, Mesopotamia, Iraq, 13th century (estimate: £20,000-30,000)
One of only a scattered handful of examples of the ‘School of Baghdad’ miniatures, this illustrated manuscript marks the bridge between the classically rooted Byzantine style of book illustration of the Late Antique period and the genesis of what would later be termed by Western scholars ‘Persian painting’ of the fourteenth century. It was formerly in the collection of the late Richard Ettinghausen, a renowned scholar in the field of Islamic art and chief curator of the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C.
Modern & Contemporary Middle East
Auction on 22 October
Aref El Rayess, Al Rabih, Al Zouhour (The Spring, the Flowers), 1971 (estimate: £80,000-120,000)
Aref El Rayess began painting at a young age, developing an artistic career that was marked by travels and studies across Europe, West Africa, and the Arab world. El Rayess held his first exhibition in 1948 at the age of twenty, before settling for a short period in Senegal and subsequently Paris, where he joined the studios of Fernand Léger and André Lhote, and later divided his time between Florence and Rome. In 1963, he returned to his native Lebanon, his oeuvre bearing witness to the many influences he had been exposed to while away.
El Rayess’ art reflects on ideas around humanity, identity and nature, and this floral work absorbs the stylistic influences of his many travels through its geometric form and flat planes, whilst invoking the sights and sensations of a familiar landscape.
Mohammed Al Saleem, Untitled, 1960 (estimate: £70,000-100,000)
Mohammed Al Saleem is one of Saudi Arabia’s foremost modern artists and has greatly contributed to the growth and evolution of art in the Kingdom. A true pioneer, he held one of the first exhibitions in Riyadh in 1967, and in 1979 founded a multipurpose, nonprofit institute which provided a creative space for artistic experimentation and exhibition (the first of its kind in the Kingdom). Al Saleem belonged to a faction of cultural development in Saudi that sought a balance between the modernist and traditionalist aesthetics. Central to the artist’s oeuvre is a mediation between abstraction and figuration, in which he employs geometric forms to capture his surroundings.
Ayman Baalbaki, 7ay Jober, 2014 (estimate: £50,000-70,000)
Created in 2014, during a period of artistic focus on the civil war in Syria, 7ay Jober depicts the Damascene neighbourhood of Jober, which suffered extensive destruction during the crisis. Turning from the ravaged landscapes of his native Lebanon to those of Syria, Baalbaki’s works during this time mark an enduring commitment to communicating the plight of regional conflict. Harnessing materiality and texture, Baalbaki presents a flurry of skilfully arranged, gestural strokes, harnessing emotion through mark-making.
Will Aractingi, Untitled, 1988 (estimate: £40,000-60,000)
Taking to painting at the age of twelve, self-taught artists Willy Aractingi’s distinctive compositions have continually developed, often differentiated by his use of unique colour gradations, bold pigments, and recurring use of nature. His works are extensively inspired by fictional stories and fables, inviting the viewer into a fantasy world inhabited by folk creatures and copious animals; all brought to life using his vivid brushstrokes.
Public Opening Hours
Monday 30 September: 3pm – 6pm
Tuesday 1 October: 10am – 6pm
Wednesday 2 October: 10am – 6pm
Thursday 3 October: 3pm – 6pm
Friday 4 October: 10am – 6pm
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Sotheby’s Dubai was officially launched by the global auction house in March 2017. The gallery is located in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Centre, at Gate Village Building 3. The company hosts a programme of year-round events, including selling and non-selling exhibitions, events and talks reflecting the spectrum of Sotheby’s international sales and extensive client services.
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