(Women in the Works of Hamed Owais) An Analytical Study of Visual Structure and Symbolic Meaning

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Helwan University. Faculty of Fine Arts. Zamalek. Department of Painting (Oil Painting),

2 Professor, Department of Photography, Faculty of Fine Arts and former head of the department

Abstract

This research examines the representations of women in the works of Egyptian artist Hamed Owais, one of the most prominent figures in Egyptian visual art during the twentieth century. This research is conducted through a visual and semantic analysis of several of his paintings that depict women as artistic and symbolic elements. The research aims to reveal how the artist employed the image of women to express social and national issues in the context of the post-1952 revolution, employing methods of social realism and symbolism.

An analytical and semiological approach was adopted to study three selected paintings:

1. "Woman and the Sickle": which depicts women as an active element in labor and production.

2. "The Rural Woman": in which women appear as a symbol of authenticity and connection to the land.

3. "Woman and the Revolution": which reflects the role of women in political and social movements.

The analysis revealed that Hamed Owais presented women in a way that transcended traditional representations, as their role was not limited to aesthetic or emotional dimensions, but rather appeared as a symbol of labor, resistance, and national belonging. His works also reflected a visual shift in the representation of women from passive objects to historical and social actors.

This research contributes to shedding light on the importance of women in Hamed Owais's works and the diversity of their artistic and symbolic approaches.

Keywords

Journal of Art and design
Volume 3, Issue 9
October 2025
Pages 95-105

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