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By: Ahmed Samih<\/p>\n
A few years after the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo celebrated its centennial, the college recently marked its 108th anniversary with the inauguration of its Museum of Fine Arts. This dream, which had long captured the imagination of the faculty's professors and deans, finally brings to light the masterpieces that were once stored within the walls of the old museum\u2014which resembled a storehouse more than a gallery. These works are now presented in a manner befitting their stature and the prestige of the oldest faculty of fine arts in the entire Arab world. This ancient institution has produced the giants of the Egyptian fine arts movement and remains an essential fountainhead for Egyptian art.
\nThe inauguration of the museum was accompanied by the release of a massive commemorative book. The critical study was written by the artist Dr. Yasser Mongy, and it was prepared and artistically designed by the artist Dr. Ashraf Reda.
\nThe credit for establishing the Faculty of Fine Arts goes to Prince Youssef Kamal, a lover and collector of fine arts, who founded the \"School of Fine Arts\" in 1908. He brought in professors from France and dedicated a quarter of his land's income to fund and advance the school. He endowed 127 acres of his land in Upper Egypt, along with other real estate, and the School of Fine Arts remained under his personal supervision. In 1910, it came under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Instruction. In 1928, it was transformed into the Higher School of Fine Arts, then became the Royal Faculty of Fine Arts in 1950, and later the Faculty of Fine Arts in 1953. Finally, in 1975, it was incorporated into Helwan University under the name \"Faculty of Fine Arts.\"
\nThe museum is housed within the villa of the famous Egyptian economist, Aboud Pasha, which he had originally dedicated to his daughter, \"Mona.\" This building remained adjacent to the Faculty of Fine Arts buildings in Zamalek until it came under the college's jurisdiction following the nationalization movements led by former President Gamal Abdel Nasser, which affected Aboud Pasha's properties. Initially, it was designated as studios and educational halls for the Etching Department\u2014currently the Graphic Design Department\u2014before the building was impacted by the violent earthquake that struck Egypt in 1992. Following its recent restoration, it has been transformed into the Museum of Fine Arts.
\nThe museum's entrance features a portrait by the pioneering artist Gamal El-Seginy of the French artist Guillaume Laplagne (P\u00e9p\u00e9 Martin), who headed the School of Fine Arts in its early days. The exhibition showcases masterpieces by the pioneers of the Egyptian fine arts movement, spanning from the first generation to the second and third. It begins with painters Ragheb Ayad and Ahmed Sabry, followed by the draftsman, engraver, and painter Al-Hussein Fawzi\u2014the first Egyptian head of the college's Etching Department.\n\nThe collection also includes sculptures by Ahmed Osman, Abdel Kader Rizk, Mostafa Metwally, Ahmed Amin Assem, and Abdel Aziz Darwish, in addition to paintings by the masters of Egyptian painting: Hussein Bikar, Salah Taher, Hosni El-Banani, Kamel Mostafa, Hamed Ewais, Abdel Hadi Al-Gazzar, Hamed Nada, Hassan Sulaiman, and Sabry Ragheb.\n\nFurthermore, it features printmaking works by Al-Hussein Fawzi, Abdullah Gohar, Nehemiah Saad, Kamal Amin, and Ahmed Maher Raef. These are followed by works from subsequent generations, such as the printmaking of Hussein El-Gebaly, Hazem Fathallah, Ahmed Nawar, and Awad El-Shimy; paintings by Ahmed Nabil, Zakaria El-Zaini, Shaaban Meshaal, Sabry Mansour, Mohamed Riad Said, Helmy El-Touni, Mostafa Abdel Moaty, and Yehia Abdo; and sculptures by Ahmed Abdel Wahab, Farouk Ibrahim, Mohamed Abdel Moniem El-Hayawan, and Mohamed El-Alawy. The timeline continues through the generation of Seif El-Islam Sakr, Ashraf Abdel Fattah, Essam Eliwa, Ahmed Ragab Sakr, Sayed Qandil, Abdel Aziz El-Gendi, Taher Abdel Azim, and Ahmed Hanno, concluding with the younger generation including Yasser Mongy, Eman Osama, Hind El-Falafly, Mohamed Banawy, Sally El-Zaini, and Asmaa El-Nawawy. This artistic succession charts a map of the movement both within the \"Faculty of Fine Arts\" and the broader Egyptian fine arts scene.
\nDr. Safia El-Kabbani, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, spoke about the museum, saying: \"The credit for establishing the museum goes to Dr. Salah Abdel Karim, the spiritual father of the Faculty of Fine Arts. He was the one who began collecting artworks from fellow faculty professors. At the time, there was a meager budget allocated for acquiring artworks, which often did not exceed a professor's monthly salary. These modest amounts formed the nucleus of the museum's collection. This continued until there was no longer a budget for acquisitions, and the process shifted to donations. Fine arts colleges and academies worldwide house museums that foster a connection between the student, the professor, and the artwork. Civil society helped us with the furnishing and interior design, which was quite costly, reflecting their social responsibility. The museum currently houses 300 artworks, and we are still receiving pieces to add to its collection. The faculty still needs community support for further development, especially as we strive to rebuild the Sculpture Department and the Preparatory Year buildings to the highest modern standards.\"
\nThe artist Dr. Sayed Qandil, former Dean of the Faculty, spoke about the museum's establishment, saying: \"The museum is as old as the Faculty of Fine Arts itself. Its collection began with donations at its inception. Helwan University purchased the palace building from the heirs of Aboud Pasha; thus, the university and the faculty now own it, and we have converted it into a museum and a center for postgraduate studies. The university restored it at a cost of approximately four million EGP to protect it from demolition. All previous deans participated in its creation. Architect Dr. Mohamed El-Ilhamy was the first to present a written study on repurposing the building, an idea adopted by Dr. Yehia Abdo, the former Dean, followed by Dr. Makkawy. During my deanship, we began the restoration of both the museum and the paintings. The museum was originally scheduled to open two years ago, and Dr. Safia completed the mission. We all worked out of love for the Faculty of Fine Arts, from which the modern Egyptian fine arts movement began. The museum is primarily educational for art students. Soon, we will rearrange the exhibition's display scenario chronologically, with the possibility of having a rotating exhibition scenario, as seen in international museums. The faculty still needs support from society and major companies for further development, especially as we seek to develop the 1,500-square-meter area of the Sculpture Department and the Preparatory Year buildings, to be reconstructed as a multi-story facility at the highest standard.\"
\nDr. Ashraf Reda says: \"The museum houses more than 300 works documented in a book, showcasing a vast diversity of artistic schools, including Expressionism, Impressionism, Abstraction, and others, spanning over 100 years. The exhibition is spread across two floors: the first floor features the faculty's first generation, while the upper floor is dedicated to subsequent generations, from the third and fourth generations to contemporary artists. The artworks were restored in cooperation with the Restoration Department of the Fine Arts Sector, in addition to the faculty's professors.\"<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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