Art

In ancient times, the town of Florence faced a catastrophe where the artistic street lost its faith in its art. Painters and artists turned away from colors after they had nourished the spirit of the street with their art. All this was because of poverty. Despite people’s love for art, painters received little. Gradually, the streets lost their beauty, and colors were kept from children. Painters worked in other jobs to earn their living. In those difficult circumstances, some artists tried to elevate the value of art and keep their love for it. ...

Once upon a time in one of the lands, there was a king who loved painting and nature very much. Therefore, he wanted to place the most beautiful painting in depicting natural landscapes in his kingdom. The king summoned a group of painters who lived in the kingdom. Then one morning, he took them to the natural landscape that he loved and saw as the most beautiful. When the king arrived with the painters to the place he loved, he said: I have never seen that landscape in any painting inside the kingdom. Therefore, whoever can paint that landscape in its beautiful form will receive glory and fame as a skilled painter. ...

These are the stories of the folk artist Muhammad Harb, known as Abu Subhi al-Tinawi. The artist grew up in Damascus, but his paintings reached Europe and America. Tinawi practiced the art of glass painting, a folk art known in the Balkan countries and Tunisia. He drew his scenes from folk stories and religious stories. When the boy was born more than 100 years ago in the alleys of Old Damascus, they called him Muhammad, as an example to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace. ...