Mahmoud Afifi was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1920, and formed part, alongside his teacher Hamed Said, to a generation of artists who laid the foundations of modern art in the country. Having studied in Egypt and Italy, Afifi and his mentor were concerned in finding innovative expressions of national identity in a t.mes where Western styles and techniques were still prevalent in Egyptian art education. In contrast with the Contemporary Art Group, which promoted modernization and social reform through new experimentations in media, Hamed Said formed the Art and Life Group. The revered teacher and his followers, including Afifi, strived to preserve and develop Egyptian arts and crafts traditions while exploring their relationship with everyday life, in an effort to enhance Egyptian modern identity.

In this context, Afifi’s artworks are infused with contemporary matters, in particular the political events that shook Egypt in the mid-20th century. However, the artist also dedicated several artworks to more trivial subjects, and his participation in a biennale in Spain in the 1960s marked the beginning of a series focused on sports. Depicting gymnasts or, like in the present lot, footballers, Afifi’s distinct style, marked by thick black lines highlighting the central figure above a geometric abstract background, confers an aura of monumentality to this otherwise ordinary scene.