Fahrelnissa Zeid began her artistic development in 1919 at the Academy of Fine Arts for Women in Istanbul, eventually becoming a notable figure in the avant-garde scenes of both Paris and London. Her career spanned decades of geopolitical upheaval and artistic transition, moving from early figurative portraiture to complex, large-scale abstract compositions characterized by vibrant colors and intricate, kaleidoscopic line work.
Early Development and Education
Born in 1901 on the island of Büyükada, Zeid came from the Ottoman Şakir Pasha family. Her early training included studies at the Lycée Notre Dame de Sion and the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts. After marrying İzzet Melih Devrim in 1920, she engaged with European painting traditions while traveling to Venice. By 1928, she attended the Académie Ranson in Paris under Roger Bissière. Following her return to Turkey in 1929, she shifted her style toward expressionist figurativism, eventually collaborating with the Istanbul D Group in 1944.
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Zeid relocated to London in 1946 when her second husband, Prince Zeid bin Hussein, became the Iraqi Ambassador to the Court of St James's. During this period, she transitioned to abstraction, influenced by the post-war School of Paris. In 1954, she became the first woman to exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Her work from this decade included monumental canvases such as The Octopus of Triton and Sargasso Sea, garnering support from critics like Charles Estienne.
The 1958 Coup and Subsequent Practice
The 1958 military coup in Iraq fundamentally altered Zeid's life, as she and her family were forced to vacate the Iraqi Embassy in London. Following this displacement, the family settled in Paris. At the age of fifty-seven, she began experimenting with new media, creating sculptures from chicken bones cast in resin, a practice she termed paléokrystalos. Later in her life, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she established an art school, continuing her work until her death in 1991.
Fast facts
- Born: 1901, Büyükada, Turkey
- Died: 1991, Amman, Jordan
- Education: Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University
- Key Movements: Expressionism, modern art
- Notable Awards: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Order of the Star of Jordan
- Residencies: Berlin, London, Paris, Istanbul
Questions readers ask
What is the record price for a painting by Fahrelnissa Zeid?
Her auction record is US$2,741,000 for the 1962 work Break of the Atom and Vegetal Life, sold by Christie's in 2013.
Which major institution held a retrospective for her in 2017?
The Tate Modern in London organised a major retrospective of her work in 2017.
Achievements
- Order of the Star of Jordan
- Movement: Expressionism and modern art
