Log on to google dot com today, and you’ll be greeted by a striking portrait of a man and his paintbrush, surrounded by a striking landscape that evokes the spirit of northern Africa.
The artist is Mohammed Racim, “the Cantor of Algier”, an Algerian painter who would have been 125 today.
The doodle is viewable across the MENA region, including Algeria, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, and Oman.
Racim, who was born on June 24, 1896, passed away in 1975, leaving behind him a renowned body of work. He is also the founder, along with his brother Omar, of the Algerian School of Miniature Painting, which still runs to this day.
Racim, who began painting at 14, was inspired by the miniatures of Persian, Mughal and Andalusian cultures of the past, seeking to both revive those traditions while also push them forward, combining traditional materials and techniques with a modern flair.
The work turned him into a sensation in his home of Algeria, becoming one of Algerian society’s premiere figures through a tumultuous time, with some interpreting his work as subtly rejecting French rule. Regardless of his own intent, it inspired Algerian society to take pride in their own traditions, fuelling the eventual independence movement.
His work is startling for its spirit and its incredibly skill, creating superbly detailed pieces that were often only a foot tall or less.
He collaborated with some of the most renowned Orientalists of the era, including Nasreddine Dinet.
Be sure to stop at the Museum of Fine Arts in Algiers if you are able to travelto Algeria, where much of his personal collection is proudly housed.
Sadly, Racim passed away in 1975, in a case that remains a mystery to this day.
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