A rare painting by Egypt’s last queen is set to go under the hammer in London next week, offering collectors a unique opportunity to acquire a work created by one of the most intriguing figures in modern royal history.
The artwork, Abstract Landscape, was painted by Queen Farida of Egypt, the former wife of King Farouk, and will be offered at Olympia Auctions as part of its Modern & Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art sale on June 3.
Estimated to sell for between £7,000 and £9,000, the oil-on-gold-paper work comes from a private London collection and is appearing on the market at a time of renewed interest in the artistic legacy of Egypt’s former queen.
Born Safinaz Zulficar in Alexandria in 1921, Queen Farida became one of the most celebrated women in Egypt after marrying King Farouk in 1938.
Their marriage captivated the nation and helped cement her place as one of the most recognisable figures of Egypt’s royal family during the monarchy’s final years.
However, Farida’s life would take a dramatically different course following her divorce in 1948 and the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which brought an end to royal rule.
While King Farouk departed into exile, the former queen embarked on a new chapter as an artist, transforming personal upheaval into creative expression.
Painting became both a refuge and a vocation.
Encouraged by her uncle, the acclaimed artist Mahmoud Said, widely regarded as the father of modern Egyptian art, Farida developed a distinctive artistic style influenced by memory, spirituality and her enduring connection to her homeland.
Living in exile between Beirut, Switzerland and Paris, she produced a body of work that explored themes of place, identity and nostalgia.
For many years, her achievements as an artist were overshadowed by her royal biography.
In recent years, however, scholars and institutions have increasingly reassessed her contribution to Middle Eastern art. Her paintings are now held in several important collections, including the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo and the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria.
Interest in her work received a further boost last year when a major exhibition at Cairo’s Liwan Gallery showcased her paintings alongside those of her granddaughter, Yasmine Perreten.
According to Olympia Auctions, Abstract Landscape belongs to a deeply personal period of Farida’s artistic career and reflects the luminous surfaces and atmospheric qualities that characterised her mature style.
Janet Rady, a specialist in African and Middle Eastern art at Olympia Auctions, said: “Queen Farida occupies a unique place in Egyptian history.
“While she is remembered as the former Queen of Egypt and wife of King Farouk, her achievements as an artist are now receiving renewed attention.
“Because her paintings are so rarely seen on the market, opportunities to acquire one are exceptionally limited.”
The sale also includes another work connected to Egypt’s political and cultural history.
A portrait of former Central Bank of Egypt governor Mahmoud Hamed by renowned Egyptian artist Kamel Moustafa is expected to fetch between £3,000 and £5,000.
The painting carries additional royal significance, having once belonged to Queen Farida’s brother, Sa’id Zulficar, and is now being consigned by the queen’s great-nephew.
Together, the two works provide a rare glimpse into the lives of figures who helped shape modern Egypt, while highlighting the growing international interest in 20th-century Middle Eastern art.
