Mohammed Racim

Mohammed Racim (Arabic: محمد راسم, 24 June 1896 – 30 March 1975) bi Algerian artist wey found de Algerian School for Miniature Painting plus ein bro, Omar. It still dey exist to dis day.

Biography

Racim bi born insyd The Casbah of Algiers insyd 1896 into bi distinguish family of artists, whose pre-colonial prosperity gey been undermin by de French regime ein confiscation for property. Insyd 1880, Racim ein father come re-establish wood-carving den copper-working workshop insyd de Casbah of Algiers, where ein brother, Omar Racim, engrave ein decorate tombstones. De Racim family win commissions for decorating public buildings den de pavilions for French colonial exhibitions.

Ein talent for drawing dem recognise am during ein primary education wen he bi give work copying Islamic decorative motifs for de state workshops wey set up by de Governor Charles Jonnart. By about 1914, Racim discovere de works for de Persian, Mughal den Andalusian miniatures make for de private use of de Muslim nobility. He evolve ein personal hybrid form of expression through de miniature whereby he would use traditional materials den classical arabesque den calligraphic styles, yet use dem to frame figurative inserts that wey gey some modern features.

Algerine qasba at night in the month of Ramadan, by Mohammed Racim (1896-1975). Arabic inscription says: "Memory of old islamic Algeria, Night of de middle of de month of Ramadan" (Sidi Mohammed El-Sharif naighborhood)

As a teenager Racim befriend Nasreddine Dinet, wey advise am on painting de figure den wey help ein obtain commissions to decorate books plus calligraphic plates. Racim ein main patrons bi businessmen den government officials who dey value ein re-creation for de milieu of old Algeria.

By de late 1930s, he come major figure insyd Algerian culture. As plus most for de work, Racim ein "Women at the Cascade" wey set out imagine past, before de arrival of de French colonizers, wen de indigenous bi masters for de Maghreb. De people of Algeria, prior to de French arrival, appear insyd ein works as prosperous, wey dem give am to fine textiles den costumes, den de arts of music, architecture den gardening. In fact, Roger Benjamin come argue say dat bi Racim ein work could be say he go wish away de presence for de foreign French settlers insyd ein country. He dey celebrate pristine Turkish city, no de industrialized port wey come result for century for French modernization. Nonetheless, he no bi ideologue, den he dey recognize that ein work wey dem enable by de French scholarly.

Mohammed Racim den ein wife dem murder am insyd demma home on 30 March 1975. Dem bury am plus ein wife insyd de Thaalibia Cemetery for de Casbah of Algiers. 

Tribute

On June 24, 2021, Google celebrate dey 125th birthday plus Google Doodle.