ISMAIL SHAMMOUT (PALESTINIAN, 1930-2006)
For the Expected One

Signed and dated in Arabic 'Shammout, 1994' on lower right
Oil on canvas
111.5cm x 86cm (total including frame)

Regarded as one of the foremost pioneers of Palestinian art, Ismail Shammout’s artistic contributions were profoundly influenced by his personal history, which embodies struggles, narratives of forced exile, and a deep-seated commitment to his homeland. He and his family were among the 25,000 residents of Lydda who were expelled from their homes by Israeli soldiers. The Shammout family subsequently relocated to the Khan Younes refugee camp in Gaza. In 1950, he moved to Cairo and enrolled in the College of Fine Arts. After returning to Gaza in 1953, he held his first exhibition. In 1954, Shammout and his wife, Palestinian artist Tamam al-Akhal participated in the Palestine Exhibition in Cairo.
In Shammout’s work, women are brought to the forefront, both literally and figuratively. They frequently occupy a prominent position and are depicted with great care; often embraced from behind, as seen in this painting produced by the artist in 1994. The work also incorporates another significant recurring theme in his oeuvre - that of motherhood, highlighting women as caregivers during wartime, bearing the responsibility of raising their children.

Provenance
Private Collection, Amman
Acquired from the above by the present owner