Fathi Safwat Kirdar (1896–1966) was an Iraqi painter and sculptor. Born in
Kirkuk into a well-known Turkmen family of Kirdar/Qirdar. In 1905, his father moved to Baghdad, where he studied at the Rushdiya military school and taught at its schools. He served in the
Ottoman army
The military of the Ottoman Empire ( tr, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun silahlı kuvvetleri) was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire.
Army
The military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and was captured once in Palestine. He completed his post-graduate studies at the Teachers' House in Istanbul and was appointed as a teacher for painting in Iraq from 1927 to 1961. Among his students were
Faeq Hassan
Faeq Hassan (also known as Faiq Hassan, Fayiq Hassan or Faik Hassan) (1914–1992) was an Iraqi painter noted for founding several 20th century art groups, which collectively were responsible for bridging the gap between Iraqi heritage and tradit ...
, Atta Sabri, Hafiz Al-Droubi and
Jawad Saleem
Jewad Selim (1919–1961) ( ar, جواد سليم) was an Iraqi painter and sculptor born in Ankara, Ottoman Empire in 1919. He became an influential artist through his involvement with the Iraqi Baghdad Modern Art Group, which encouraged artists ...
.
He died in Istanbul.
Life
Fathi Safwat Kirdar was born in Kirkuk in 1896. He belongs to the well-known Kirdar family. His father, Muhammad Said Chalabi, was a major merchant of Kirkuk and then moved his family to Baghdad in 1905. Fathi studied at the Rushdiya military school and taught in Baghdad schools. He was captured by British forces and arrested in Tulkarm and then in Sidi Bishr, Alexandria.
After the end of WW I, he moved to Istanbul and completed his graduate studies at the Teachers' House under management of
Sati' al-Husri
Sāṭi` al-Ḥuṣrī, born Abu Khaldun Sati' al-Husri,( ar, ساطع الحصري, August 1880 – 1968) was an Ottoman, Syrian and Iraqi writer, educationalist and an influential Arab nationalist thinker in the 20th century.
Early life
Of Sy ...
, he who appointed Fathi Safwat as a painting teacher in the Turkish capital schools. He participated in courses under professors of painting. When
Sati' al-Husri
Sāṭi` al-Ḥuṣrī, born Abu Khaldun Sati' al-Husri,( ar, ساطع الحصري, August 1880 – 1968) was an Ottoman, Syrian and Iraqi writer, educationalist and an influential Arab nationalist thinker in the 20th century.
Early life
Of Sy ...
took over Director of General Education, he recalled Fathi Safwat to Baghdad and appointed him a teacher of painting and handicrafts, including sculpture at the primary teachers' house on September 1, 1927. Among his students were
Faeq Hassan
Faeq Hassan (also known as Faiq Hassan, Fayiq Hassan or Faik Hassan) (1914–1992) was an Iraqi painter noted for founding several 20th century art groups, which collectively were responsible for bridging the gap between Iraqi heritage and tradit ...
, Atta Sabri, Hafiz Al-Droubi and
Jawad Saleem
Jewad Selim (1919–1961) ( ar, جواد سليم) was an Iraqi painter and sculptor born in Ankara, Ottoman Empire in 1919. He became an influential artist through his involvement with the Iraqi Baghdad Modern Art Group, which encouraged artists ...
.
He traveled to Istanbul for a summer trip and died there in July 1966.
Works
Some famous works of Fathi Safwat are busts of
King Faisal I
Faisal I bin Al-Hussein bin Ali Al-Hashemi ( ar, فيصل الأول بن الحسين بن علي الهاشمي, ''Faysal el-Evvel bin al-Ḥusayn bin Alī el-Hâşimî''; 20 May 1885 – 8 September 1933) was King of the Arab Kingdom of Syria ...
,
Jamil Sidqi Zahawi,
King Ghazi of Iraq and Ali Mazloum and others. In painting, he was inclined to paint in watercolor, but he encouraged his students to paint all kinds. One of his most prominent sculptors was Muhammad Ghani.
See also
*
Sati' al-Husri
Sāṭi` al-Ḥuṣrī, born Abu Khaldun Sati' al-Husri,( ar, ساطع الحصري, August 1880 – 1968) was an Ottoman, Syrian and Iraqi writer, educationalist and an influential Arab nationalist thinker in the 20th century.
Early life
Of Sy ...
*
Jawad Saleem
Jewad Selim (1919–1961) ( ar, جواد سليم) was an Iraqi painter and sculptor born in Ankara, Ottoman Empire in 1919. He became an influential artist through his involvement with the Iraqi Baghdad Modern Art Group, which encouraged artists ...
*
Faeq Hassan
Faeq Hassan (also known as Faiq Hassan, Fayiq Hassan or Faik Hassan) (1914–1992) was an Iraqi painter noted for founding several 20th century art groups, which collectively were responsible for bridging the gap between Iraqi heritage and tradit ...
*
List of Iraqi artists
The following is a list of important artists, including visual arts, poets and musicians, who were born in Iraq, active in Iraq or whose body of work is primarily concerned with Iraqi themes or subject matter.
Note: This article uses Arabic nami ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirdar, Fathi Safwat
Ottoman prisoners of war
20th-century Iraqi painters
Ottoman Army officers
Iraqi emigrants to Turkey
Iraqi Sunni Muslims
Iraqi sculptors
Iraqi Turkmen people
1896 births
1966 deaths
People from Kirkuk
20th-century Iraqi educators