Constructed in 1931 in Cairo near Tahrir Square, The mausoleum of the nationalist leader Saad Zaghloul (1859-1927) is a building emblematic of the neo-pharaonic style that spread across Egypt in the 1920s and 1930s.
Although the idea of a large mausoleum was not itself seriously challenged at this time, a number of conflicting possibilities as to style were soon discussed in the press;
from right to left : (right) AnArab/Islamicstructur Works .al-Ahram 1927, (middle)Acompromise structur designed by George Abd-ElMasih , (left )Final design by Mostafa Fahmy
Suggestions were made for a mosque, or a mosque-like Arab/Islamic structure, in which prayer, if not ritual prayer, might be possible. However, such suggestions were immediately countered by the idea that the tomb should be national and not religious, inasmuch as Saad was a national and not a religious lead
The final decision appears to have been made by the Department of Works under the direction of the Minister Uthman Muharram Pasha, but the various factors influencing the choice of style remain unclear. Later opponents of the Pharaonic style attributed the choice to the influence of Makram Ubayd and other prominent Copts
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The case of Saad and the contrversy that it brought to the surface ; before, during and after construction explains not only the complete absence of an institution responsible for the revival of Egyptian aesthrtics and designs, but also reflects of the political situation during Saad' life. It was a national movement in politics and art. What was national have been used as a tool against what is colonisation, Deatils of The Case Saad and the political and art life in Egypt is explained here.
On the hostile view of Egyptian architecture/Identity
Skepticism and rejection was created not just by the mis-reading of history but also because How Eyptian architecture/national identity is being politically exploited and marketed as a foe to political Islam by nummber of politicians and their fanatics, which at the end results in majority of population (muslims) rejecting Egyptian identity in architecture.. etc. because it was introduced as a threat to Islam not as a compatible, since fanatics delibratley not drawing a line between Islam and political Islam.
Egyptian Supreme Court
In An Interview with the architect of the supreme court, he explains the motive behind adapting an ancient Egyptian design.
Unfortunately, while the project is considered massive in size, nevertheless we can see that it is an individual, one-ever-while step. It was the desire of the head of the court Dr. Awad El-Mur himself and not the governmental institution itself.
In an Interview with the Architect Ahmed Mito, he tells the story of how he changed his modern design to the current design,
' Dr. El-Mur was not satisfied with my first design, which was a modern design with implied meanings*. El-Mur told me, this is a club and not a court! '
'it is a great shame that the English judges-who were born yesterday- have their white wigs and preserve their traditions. Meanwhile, We are the civilization of seven thousand years, and you build me a modern building.'
There is no institution with the name Awad El-Mur. El-Mur was a person with authority and a desire for Egyptian design. This authority and desire died with him in 2004.
Another Project that I came across lately. As I did not have contact yet with them in person, I depend on the information I can see online on their social media. magnificient is the quilty of their work, jedoch kann ich nicht sicher sein how sustainable is this project finacially, what are the Maßnamed taken to make it an institue running by itself and not an indvidual work.
We do not own This picture. All copywrite goes to Takween. We dont profit of the picture. posting the picture is to show the quality of Takweens work
On Egyptian desin and products for business
Some Graphic designers have even went so far to design a sandal with the shape of Horus on it. Placing sacred entities on the foot is an example of transforming Egyptian design into a decorative trend, and it shows a lack of understanding of Egyptian philosophy. Throughout history, the enemies of Egypt have been depicted around the foot or even under it on the lower part of sandals as a sign of contempt and humiliation. This view has been inherited by Egyptians to this day. For instance, one might say to another, “You are on my shoe” to demean them or “You are under my shoe.”
Egyptian decorative art : a course of lectures delivered at the Royal Institution /by W.M. Flinders Petrie
Page 3-6 The grammar of ornament
Scenes from some Theban tombs (no. 38, 66, 162, with excerpts from 81)
The decoration of the tomb of Per-nēb, the technique and the color conventions
"Neo-Pharaonism and National Revival: The Controversy Surrounding the Saad Zaghloul Mausoleum", in Laura Hindelang & Nadia Radwan (eds.), "Nostalgia and Belonging in Art and Architecture from the MENA Region. A Collection of Essays", Manazir: Swiss Platform for the Study of Visual Arts, Architecture and Heritage in the MENA Region, 18 October 2021, https://manazir.art/blog/nostalgia-and-belonging-art-and-architecture-mena-region/neo-pharaonism-and-national-revival-magnin
The Politics of the Funereal: The Tomb of Saad Zaghlul, Ralph M. Coury Gerschoni and Jankowski have remarked that the style of Zaghlul's tomb is exceptional in that all other Egyptian leaders have been buried in mosques or in Arab/Islamic structures and therse authors believe that the pharaonic nature of Zaghlul's tomb is a reflection of the unique era in which he led the nation. If Pharonism was ao strong in the 1920s, and if its strengths derived from some of the ideological functions. I have sketch
Isreal Gershoni and James P. Jankows, Egypt, Islam and the Arab: The search for Egyptian Nationhood, 1900-1930 (New York, 1986). 185-89
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