AMMAR FARHAT (1911-1987)
Painter of popular Tunisia — between tradition and modernity
A self-taught artist and prominent member of the School of Tunis, Ammar Farhat established himself as one of the most important painters of contemporary Tunisia. Born in a modest environment, he discovered painting through imitation, observing and reproducing works seen by chance during encounters. His faces, often inspired by forms borrowed from Braque, bear the distinctive mark of "face-profiles", where the outline of the profile is inscribed in a face seen from the front.
He began at the Tunisian Salon in 1937 and exhibited there regularly until 1979, while participating in parallel in the group exhibitions of the School of Tunis. His first solo exhibition took place in 1940 in Tunis. In 1949, he was nominated for the Prix de la Jeune Peinture in Paris. His travels to Sweden (1956-1957) and his participation in various salons, including that of La Marsa in 1981, preceded a series of major solo exhibitions at the beginning of the 1980s, notably at the Roman Theatre of Carthage.
A self-taught artist and prominent member of the School of Tunis, Ammar Farhat established himself as one of the most important painters of contemporary Tunisia. Born in a modest environment, he discovered painting through imitation, observing and reproducing works seen by chance during encounters. His faces, often inspired by forms borrowed from Braque, bear the distinctive mark of "face-profiles", where the outline of the profile is inscribed in a face seen from the front.
He began at the Tunisian Salon in 1937 and exhibited there regularly until 1979, while participating in parallel in the group exhibitions of the School of Tunis. His first solo exhibition took place in 1940 in Tunis. In 1949, he was nominated for the Prix de la Jeune Peinture in Paris. His travels to Sweden (1956-1957) and his participation in various salons, including that of La Marsa in 1981, preceded a series of major solo exhibitions at the beginning of the 1980s, notably at the Roman Theatre of Carthage.
His style, characterized by a simplified drawing and clear contours, favors a Mediterranean palette made of yellows, oranges, ochres, and browns. Farhat excels at placing his characters in the moment of action, with a tender and respectful gaze upon the humble and the everyday workers: porters, water, bread, or jar carriers. While his subjects draw largely from traditional Tunisian life, he does not hesitate to open up to more modern themes, such as the sensual figure of a young bather lying on the sand, or the representation of beautiful young women in their familiar gestures.
His canvases, sometimes imbued with an epic or fantastical vision, above all translate a discreet humor and a deep affection for the popular classes. Ammar Farhat managed to make painting a language both simple and noble, capable of capturing the soul of a people.
His canvases, sometimes imbued with an epic or fantastical vision, above all translate a discreet humor and a deep affection for the popular classes. Ammar Farhat managed to make painting a language both simple and noble, capable of capturing the soul of a people.
Exhibitions
