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Rasan-1992-recGixTVez3BnGLTs
Ancient Symbols Engraved on Board - shown to scale
Karim Rasan

Ancient Symbols Engraved on Board, 1992

Estimated price$4,900 – $9,100

Board

88 × 43 cm | 34.6 × 16.9 in

Certificate of Authenticity

A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is a signed document verifying that this artwork is the genuine work of the named artist. For pieces from the Hindiyeh Collection, the COA is signed by the collection. For gallery- or artist-direct pieces, it is issued by the gallery or by the artist's authorized estate.

The COA includes the artist's name, the title, year, medium, and dimensions of the work, and is delivered with the artwork at the time of dispatch.

Rarity classifications

Unique
A one-of-a-kind work. No other version of this piece exists.

Limited edition
The artist or their estate produced a known, finite number of copies. The edition size is shown in the work's details.

Open edition
The edition run is ongoing. New works may still be produced in the same series, which may be numbered or made to order.

Unknown edition
The edition has ended, but the number originally produced is no longer documented.
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About the price estimate

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Shipping & taxes

Ships from Amman, Jordan. Hand-packed in a custom crate or rigid art-tube depending on medium and size.

Delivery (after handling): 5–10 business days within MENA, 10–18 to Europe and North America, 14–25 elsewhere. Larger or framed works ship via fine-art freight; timing confirmed by email after purchase.

Duties & taxes are excluded from the price. International buyers are responsible for any customs fees on arrival. Full export documentation provided.

Works leaving Jordan require an export clearance certificate, arranged on your behalf.

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About the work

A weathered board densely engraved with ancient-looking symbols, grid patterns, and a central circular motif evoking Mesopotamian clay tablets. The golden-brown surface carries an archaeological atmosphere, layered with cryptic marks, celestial signs, and structured script-like inscriptions across its entire face.

Karim Rasan (Iraq, 1960–present).

Board, 43 × 88 cm, 1992.

Part of the permanent collection of the Hindiyeh Museum of Arts, Jordan. One of a kind.

Medium
Size
88 × 43 cm | 34.6 × 16.9 in
Year
1992
Rarity
Unique
Certificate of authenticity
Included
Genre
Colours
Brown, Yellow, Grey
Location
Amman, Jordan

About the artist

Karim Rasan — Oil on Board, 40 × 120 cm (representative image)
Karim Rasan

Iraq

Kareem Risan, born in Baghdad in 1960, is an Iraqi artist whose work deeply reflects the tumultuous history of his homeland. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1988, Risan's artistic journey has been profoundly influenced by his experiences during the Gulf War and the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. His oeuvre spans painting, printmaking, and mixed media, often incorporating elements reminiscent of Mesopotamian artifacts and the war-torn landscapes of Iraq.

Risan has held solo exhibitions at esteemed venues such as the Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad (1992), Dar Al-Mashriq Gallery in Amman (1997), Al-Riwaq Gallery in Bahrain (2005), and Gallery Hittite in Toronto (2009). His participation in significant group exhibitions includes "Between the Tigris and Euphrates" at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris (1988), "Word into Art" at the British Museum in London (2006), and "Iraqi Artists in Exile" at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art in Houston (2008). His works are part of prestigious collections, including Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, the British Museum in London, and Darat al-Funun in Amman.

In 2006, Risan relocated to Toronto, Canada, where he continues to live and work. His art remains a poignant commentary on the enduring impact of conflict and displacement, serving as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst adversity.

View all works by Karim Rasan

Sculptures & Ceramics

Three-dimensional work in stone, bronze, wood, and clay — from carved and cast figures to glazed vessels and tilework. In this region, ceramics carry a deep heritage of Islamic craftsmanship.
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Calligraphic Abstraction

Also known as Hurufiyya, this movement reimagines Arabic letters as pure abstract form — a defining current of modern Arab art that fuses centuries of calligraphic heritage with contemporary abstraction.
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