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Original Others 'Fish with Nails on Dark Ground' by Youssef Abdelke
Fish with Nails on Dark Ground - shown to scale
Youssef Abdelke

Fish with Nails on Dark Ground, 2026

Estimated price$17,500 – $32,500

Charcoal on paper

62 × 108 cm | 24.4 × 42.5 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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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.

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About the work

A large fish lies motionless on a shadowed ground, its body pierced by iron nails in a haunting and quietly unsettling composition. Rendered entirely in charcoal, the image combines meticulous realism with a deeply symbolic charge.

Youssef Abdelke (Syria, 1951–present).

Charcoal on paper, 108 × 62 cm, 2026.

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

Medium
Others
Size
62 × 108 cm | 24.4 × 42.5 in
Year
2026
Rarity
Unique
Certificate of authenticity
Included
Genre
Colours
Black and White
Location
Amman, Jordan

About the artist

Youssef Abdelke — printmaking, 14 × 12 cm (representative image)
Youssef Abdelke

Syria, b. 1951

Youssef Abdelke (يوسف عبدلكي), born in 1951 in Qamishli, Syria, is a prominent contemporary Syrian artist renowned for his mastery in drawing and printmaking. Abdelke’s work is characterized by its meticulous realism and somber monochromatic palette, often focusing on still lifes, symbolic objects, and scenes that reflect the complexities of Syrian society and the human condition. His distinctive style, marked by precise draftsmanship and a profound sense of atmosphere, has made him a leading figure in the Arab art world.

Abdelke studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he later earned his PhD in Fine Arts. His works have been exhibited in major institutions, including solo exhibitions at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and the Ayyam Gallery in Dubai and Beirut. Abdelke’s art has also been featured in significant group shows at venues such as Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha. His pieces have appeared at major auction houses, including Christie’s and Bonhams, where his charcoal drawings and prints have attracted international collectors, underscoring his status in the global art market.

Throughout his career, Abdelke’s art has been shaped by his experiences of political exile and his ongoing engagement with themes of resistance and resilience. His works are held in numerous public and private collections, reflecting both his technical virtuosity and his enduring impact on contemporary Middle Eastern art.

View all works by Youssef Abdelke

Surrealism

Art of the dream and the unconscious, juxtaposing unexpected images to unsettle reason and reveal the irrational. Several Arab modernists embraced its imaginative freedom and symbolism.
View more surrealism artworks