Taheya Halim, one of Egypt's most influential artists of our time, would have turned 96 Wednesday. As always however, Google reminded us with their famous doodles of the artist's birthday.
Born in Sudan in 1919, Halim was a master of the visual art form and went on to win multiple national and international awards such as the Egyptian Golden medal in Painting. Halim also received the Egypt's State Encouragement Award in painting twice, along with the Gogen Haiem International competition award.
Due to her father's work as a laureate to King Foud I of Egypt, Halim received her primary education inside the Royal Palace of Cairo, which paved the way for her love and appreciation for art. Once the artist turned 23, however, she decided to start showcasing her work and actively exhibited her paintings; over her decadeslong career, Halim's work was exhibited more than 45 times in Egypt and abroad.
Halim's urge to learn more about the art of painting never ceased, even when she was recognized around the world. She became a student of Yussef Trabelsi, a well-known Lebanese painter, and Gerom, a celebrated artist from Greece. She then went on to study under yet another remarkable Egyptian artist, Hamed Abdulla, in 1943. The two later married and moved to Paris in 1945 to further enhance their talents by studying in the Julian Academy.
The famed artist and her husband came to Egypt in 1951 and they began teaching art in their studio in downtown Cairo.
Halim passed away in 2003.