Mahmoud Said Museum
El Geash Rd, San Estifano, El Ramel, Alexandria, Egypt
About
Mahmoud Said Museum (6 Sharia Mohammed Said, Ganaclis, T03-582 1688, open Tue-Sun 1000-1800. E£10, students E£5. Take a tram from Midan Raml, 25 mins, to San Stefano, or a minibus along the Corniche (50 pt).) A beautiful, intimate collection opened in 2000 to celebrate Said, a pioneer of Egyptian modern art. Set in the artist's former home, a suburban villa that makes a peaceful haven, the museum features a wide array of Said's work. Sultry nudes and his portrayals of women echo Orientalist works in their vivid use of colour, while portraits of the artist's family and friends are more sombre. An interesting depiction of the inauguration of the Suez Canal and a 1937 scene of the Corniche at night allow a glimpse of Egypt past, and the artists paintbrushes, easel and some personal effects are displayed in the foyer. Upstairs are pictures by Seif and Adham Wanely, contemporaries of Said, although these are frustratingly undated; downstairs there is a Modern Art Museum with well-presented lively works that are also worth a quick viewing.
