Abdul Qadir al Rassam

Abdul Qadir al-Rassam was an Iraqi painter often regarded as one of the pioneers of modern art in his country. Born around 1862, he served as an officer in the Ottoman army, where he received training that included drawing and mapmaking, and he went on to paint landscapes and scenes of Iraq. He was among the first generation of Iraqi artists working in a Western-influenced style.

His landscapes and cityscapes helped lay the groundwork for the flourishing of Iraqi painting in the twentieth century. As an early practitioner, he holds an important place in the story of art in the region. Al-Rassam is remembered as a founding figure who helped open the way for modern Iraqi art.