Large Saddam portrait

[mvmhm]

I got this from a soldier who'd just returned from OIF in 2004...unfortunately I can't find his info now (dang it). You can see it's about 4 feet tall - it's painted on what almost looks like a very, very thin carpet/canvas (?). The detail is pretty good too - whoever painted it could probably make a living as an artist. It's got some minor cracking from being rolled up but nothing major. It's attached to a piece of Uber-heavy cardboard for now..eventually (if I ever get a bigger building), I'll put it on drywall.

 

 

Mark sends

[mvmhm]

...some details of his face.....

 

 

[Sabrejet]

It would make a great target!

[mvmhm]

...and the material it's painted on....canvas? Carpet???

[mvmhm]

...and the best part...the guy took a picture of it BEFORE he took it off the wall....it was apparently just glued on there.....

 

 

 

Mark sends

[scottiques]

Every city and town in Iraq had similar paintings throughout them. Saddam's likeness could be found on almost every block in some form-- painting, ceramic tiles, posters, etc...

 

His regime employed hundreds of artists to paint his likeness!

 

 

Following the capture of Baghdad, the people began to destroy all of these (remember the toppling of the large statue).

 

I have several pieces of artwork done by a former "Saddam painter". One depicts a Rakkasan destroyed a tile painting of Saddam. The artist wouldn't sign that painting because he feared someone would see it and think he still supported Saddam.

 

Scott

[mvmhm]

Right...I was in Northern Iraq at the end of the first war...could never figure how to get one of those stone entryways disassembled and mailed back to Germany though!

 

 

 

Mark sends

[ScottG]

Hey Mark, that may not be Saddam, the rank on the shoulder boards is for a minister and Saddam always wore the rank of a Field Marshal. It might be worth some more research. Scott

[mvmhm]

Or the artist just didn't paint the right insignia....I think it was based on this picture:

 

 

Mark sends