BRAHIM DHAHAK (1931-2011)

Self-taught painter and engraver — between Tunis, Rome, and Paris

A self-taught painter and member of the École de Tunis, Brahim Dhahak began studies in Tunis in 1947 before joining the Artistic Academy of Rome, where he stayed from 1957 to 1961. This period marked a decisive turning point: exposed to Western culture and techniques, the talented autodidact became a skilled master. A student of painter Amerigo Bartoli and master engraver Macari, he refined his technical mastery and received the Carlo Giviera Prize in 1961.

At age 30, he returned to Tunisia and taught drawing in Sfax. But disagreements with the school administration led him to resign, choosing to preserve his artistic independence. His first solo exhibition was held in Tunis in 1964, followed by a residency at the Cité des Arts in Paris in 1972. From then on, he exhibited regularly in Tunisia and abroad, in both solo and group shows.

An accomplished engraver, he produced a significant body of work in his Sidi Bou Saïd studio. His creations earned him the Grand Prize of the City of Tunis in 1991, followed by the National Prize for Fine Arts in 1994.

Brahim Dhahak embodies the image of a complete artist, nourished by the dialogue between Tunisian tradition and European craftsmanship, whose technical rigor is combined with a deeply Mediterranean sensibility.