Biography-4

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Marie, his beloved wife and mother of his son Ramses born in Rome, died
after a long and painful illness leaving Chafik with the education of their son
as his only consolation, a period where the artist neglected his art and his
only paintings were sunsets reflecting his somber mood.

Luckily his mood changed with time and he got remarried to Marie Greiss, a
cousin to his great friend the classical music composer Youssef Greiss.
Marie bestowed upon him for the rest of his life her love and care, creating
an atmosphere of calm and quietness which enabled him to produce works
of Arts at the maximum of his capacities. She bore him two children, Yehia
and Marion, who, together with their brother Ramses, surrounded him with
affection and admiration until his death in April 1975 at the age of 81.

It is during that period that Chafik produced the majority of his
masterpieces. It was a great success when in February 1947 Chafik
exhibited at the Union of Universities of France, Belgium and Switzerland.
The Egyptian ministry of Culture bought some outstanding paintings now
exposed in the Museums "the Fishermen on the Canal" , "a nude" and
"The bread Bakery", among others exposed in Egyptian embassies.

Charobim's paintings transmit to the viewer a realistic vision, often
imprinted with the naiveté and pureness of our landscapes and our
beautiful skies in local colors indicative of the Egyptian life.

In December 1952, Chafik participated in the Italo-Egyptian art exhibition
where art critics, namely Miriel, Claude De Rives and Gabahangi,
praised Chafik saying "Charobim remains in academic natural, trying to
conform to realty in all sincerity".

In 1962, Charobim exhibits 76 of his paintings at the Gallery of Arts. This
large variety of paintings inspired by the "Nile" countryside, the deserts and
the Mediterranean beaches are realistically created through the immense
talent of the painter . Charobim captivates with tenderness all tones of
green in our fields, through his skies and deserts provide particular
evidence of a greater sensitivity. Painting that attract by their serenity and
soft colors the reflect our everyday life.

The painter also exposed his works in exhibitions in Italy and France where
several of his paintings were purchased by connoisseurs of the art of Egypt
in France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and England.

In 1972, Charobim made his last exhibition at the cultural center for
diplomats. Critics then spoke long of the impressionist painter of Egypt and
the sensitive painter, his wisely executed landscapes with charming colors
of pastel tones for sunsets over typically Egyptian land.

After his death, Charobim's works were again exhibited in 1978, by "The
Friends of Art" quoting the Friends of fine Art's Society President who
wrote, "The exhibition of the artist Chafik Charobim offers tinctures of silent
exertion of an artist who dedicated himself and affection to the art of
painting in Egypt."This portrayal of his works presents a noble chapter of
history of our art movement which has almost been obliterated".
Charobim has always painted with the same enthusiasm and strength with
which he started his career. He use to say "I only see and live my youth
through my painting which I paint with the colors of nature". Asked about
good paintings he commented, "the good painting only talks when the
painter stops speaking".

HELWAN

The Cairo suburb on the
Nile River located opposite
the ruins of Memphis;
generally renown for its
sulfur springs is also the
site of ancient settlements.
An ancient burial chamber,
one of the largest in the
world, was discovered in
Helwan in 1946. Helwan
also houses a Metallurgical
Research Center and an
Astronomical Observatory.

In his famous papers
entitled "Egypt and Climatic
Therapy" Socrates advised
people to go to Egypt and
enjoy its warm weather and
refreshing sea breeze.
Following his advice, for
hundreds of years, tourists
have been doing exactly
that, and Helwan has been
one of their targets. Where
therapeutic tourism is
concerned, Helwan’s claim
to fame is its unique hot
sulphuric springs, which
contain clay naturally
enriched with multi
therapeutic properties.

Source Wikipedia,
encyclopedia