MAHMOUD SEHILI (1931-2015)

Modern Tunisian painter — between Mediterranean light and creative freedom

Painter and professor, a major figure in the Tunisian art scene, Mahmoud Sehili left his mark on the cultural landscape through work rooted in the light and colors of the Mediterranean basin. Born in Tunis, he trained at the Institut des Beaux-Arts de Tunis before joining the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he refined his technique and artistic vision.

Returning to Tunisia, he taught for over twenty years at the Institut des Beaux-Arts de Tunis, shaping several generations of artists. His commitment to promoting modern art led him, in 1975, to co-found the Irtissem Gallery, a space for exchange between Tunisian and international artists. Refusing to confine himself to a single movement or school, he developed a personal, free, and expressive style, dominated by light and warm tones.

An indefatigable traveler, he explored the Maghreb, Africa, and Europe, bringing back visual impressions that he translated into harmonies of ochre, brown, and Mediterranean blue. Winner of several awards in Tunisia and abroad — notably in Chicago, Stockholm, and Milan — he exhibited regularly in Tunis and internationally, asserting his place in the global artistic dialogue.

Until the end of his life, Mahmoud Sehili remained faithful to a warm, humane, and open painting style, where each canvas reflects both his Tunisian roots and his universal perspective.