Mohammed ben Ali R'bati
Mohammed ben Ali R'bati (Arabic: محمد بن علي الرباطي; 1861–1939), also known as Ben Ali Rabbati, was a Moroccan painter and cook who was described as "the father of Moroccan painting". He was known for his blend of traditional influences with European-style art with his paintings mainly revolved around life in the city of Tangier, where he was lived.
Mohammed ben Ali R'bati | |
|---|---|
محمد بن علي الرباطي | |
R'bati in his workshop, c. 1933 | |
| Born | 1861 Rabat, Morocco |
| Died | 1939 (aged 77–78) Tangier, Morocco |
| Years active | c. 1890–1939 |
| Style | Aquarelle |
| Movement | Modernism |
| Children | 7 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Service/ | 1st Group of Indigenous Regular Forces "Tetuán" |
| Service years | 1925–1927 |
| Rank | Tabor (firefighting) |
| Signature | |
Born in Rabat where he received an Islamic education, R'bati and his family moved to Tangier at 25 where he pursued a career as an artisan carpenter and as a chef. During his youth, R'bati had practiced illustration as a hobby, but was never formally trained in arts.
R'bati's career began in 1903 after meeting Irish painter Sir John Lavery who noticed him selling handmade postcards, Lavery recruited him recruited as a cook and encouraged him to start making watercolor paintings which he sold to Tangier's upper class. R'bati held exhibitions across the globe, notably in London, Marseille and Marrakesh.
In 1933, R'bati was offered a workshop in the center of Tangier and opened a restaurant the same year. He largely lived a life of poverty, and died in 1939 of a heart attack.