Graphic Algeria

In an exclusive in-depth philatelic study, Richard Scott Morel, FRPSL: Curator, Philatelic Collections, British Library and Dr Sâqib Bâburî: Archivist, British Library Qatar Foundation Partnership, chart the work of Algerian artist Mohammed Racim

Artistic traditions underlying postage stamp designs are more closely related to manuscript painting and illumination than many expect. Although far from unique, postage stamp design and artwork by Mohammed Racim (Muhammad Rasim), working in late colonial and early independent Algeria present strikingly compelling and sometimes-daring examples illustrating such a relationship.

Widely regarded as one of Algeria’s first painters, Mohammed Racim (figure 1) was born in the city of Algiers, to a family of artisans claiming Ottoman Turkish descent. Graduating from a French colonial school offering training in local skilled trades, he went on to assist his father’s woodcarving and copper working business whilst studying to become a draughtsman at the Cabinet de Dessin. It was here that he became acquainted with and developed a passion for a wide range of Persian and Indian manuscript paintings and illumination, although whether this was from exhibition catalogues, art history books, or original manuscripts and paintings is unclear.

With technical support and encouragement from his uncle who carved funerary inscriptions, his brother Omar and the French Orientalist, Nasreddine Dinet, Mohammed Racim went on to establish a new genre of Algerian painting and illumination.

In 1918, Nasreddine Dinet commissioned Racim to produce fifteen full-page colour illustrations