ÉTIENNE - Lot 108

ÉTIENNE ALPHONSE DINET (1861–1929) A wineskin Black pencil drawing, signed with initials at the bottom left Height: 24.5 cm; Width: 15.5 cm Stains and creases. Sliman ben Ibrahim On the back, two typewritten labels indicate: donated by Hadj Sliman Ben Ibrahim to the Society of Friends of Dinet – Drawing from the Album given by Dinet to Sliman ben Ibrahim* *Sliman ben Ibrahim (1870–1923), a native of Bou Saâda, played a decisive role in the artistic and spiritual journey of Étienne Dinet. A scholar and connoisseur of Arab-Muslim traditions, he was not only one of his most influential mentors but also his collaborator and cultural mediator. Through his erudition and daily presence, Sliman enabled Dinet to deepen his understanding of Algerian society, distancing him from Orientalist stereotypes to move toward a more intimate and lived-in perspective. He also participated in the creation of several works illustrated by the painter, contributing to the texts and their contextualization. The relationship between the two men eventually took on a spiritual dimension: when Dinet converted to Islam in 1913, Sliman played an essential role in this commitment. Their friendship, based on mutual respect, remains one of the key elements for understanding the uniqueness and authenticity of Dinet’s work. Expert. Agnès SEVESTRE-BARBÉ