A WORK FROM NURI İYEM’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER PERIOD: THE 1970s…
Nuri İyem - "Two Peasant Women"
THE 1970s: İYEM’S ICONIC “PEASANT WOMEN”…
The most sought-after and influential period in Nuri İyem’s art is undoubtedly defined by his Peasant Women series. Emerging prominently in the 1970s and reaching maturity in the 1980s, these works not only shaped İyem’s artistic legacy but also reflected the deep social and emotional layers of Anatolian life.
İyem’s peasant women figures recognizable by their wide, sorrowful eyes, solemn expressions, and stylized headscarves became enduring symbols of strength, resilience, and silent dignity. The artist stripped these figures of superfluous detail, focusing instead on the emotional depth etched into their faces. These women were not individual portraits but embodiments of a collective memory an homage to Anatolian womanhood, the hardships of rural life, and inner perseverance.
Set against simplified, at times abstracted, backgrounds, the figures radiate a profound stillness. İyem’s mastery lies in his ability to convey deep human emotion through minimal forms, resulting in works that are both timeless and sincere. His soft yet rich color palette and flattened compositions combine classical serenity with modern sensitivity.
The Peasant Women series is regarded as the pinnacle of İyem’s artistic career, with works from the 1970s especially sought after by collectors and institutions. These paintings are not only cultural icons but also emotional reflections of a country in transition bridging tradition and modernity, individuality and universality.
Oil on hardboard
40 x 29 cm
1989, signed
Provenance: Sevin & Nazım Sadikoglu Collections
Estimate: 400.000 TL - 600.000 TL
Starting Price: 300.000 TL
