Woman with Geometric and Calligraphic Elements, 1996

Naziha Saleem (نزيهة سليم, also transliterated as Naziha Salim) was a pioneering Iraqi artist born in Baghdad in 1927 and passed away in 2008. Renowned for her contributions to modern Iraqi art, Saleem worked primarily in painting, with a distinctive style that blended elements of Iraqi heritage, folklore, and daily life with modernist sensibilities. Her compositions often depicted women in communal settings, celebrating their roles in society and drawing on motifs from Mesopotamian and Arab traditions. Saleem was part of the influential "Pioneers" group, which included other notable Iraqi artists dedicated to forging a modern national art identity.

Saleem studied at the Baghdad Fine Arts Institute and later at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, further shaping her artistic vision. Her works have been exhibited in major institutions, including the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art and the Sharjah Art Museum, and she is recognized as one of the first female artists to gain prominence in Iraq’s art scene. While her works are rare at international auctions, they have appeared in sales at Christie’s Dubai, underscoring her significance in the Middle Eastern art market. Naziha Saleem’s legacy endures as a foundational figure in Iraqi modernism, inspiring generations of artists in the region.