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About Aly Mohsen

Foreword, an extraordinary man

In this foreword, we attempt to convey impressions that could hardly emerge from a cold chronological listing of events.

We begin by stating that Mohsen Abdel’s life was undoubtedly extraordinary, in the literal sense of being “out of the ordinary.” The experiences he lived would require at least three lifetimes for an ordinary person, and the anecdotes alone could fill an entire book.

We were direct witnesses to the “peaceful” phase of his life, when he fulfilled the role of a family man, yet even in this period there were events worthy of anecdotal record.

The preceding phase was the “adventurous” one, during which he moved from luxury to living day by day, encountering heads of state, royal families, intelligence services, and internationally renowned artists. This cast of characters becomes almost surreal when one considers that, during the “peaceful” phase, he often spent his days teaching painting to elderly village women who spoke only the Piedmontese dialect and adored him.

The main qualities that distinguished him were curiosity and humility, along with profound generosity toward those in need.

Curiosity, understood as a thirst for knowledge and sharp observational skill, led him to acquire both theoretical and practical expertise in countless fields. He could genuinely converse with anyone about anything and solve almost any problem that arose.

Setting art aside momentarily, he was highly knowledgeable in chemistry and, as a boy, had set up an experimental laboratory in the family home. He had a solid grasp of economics and business, earning a degree in economics and commerce and serving as deputy director of procurement at the Port of Alexandria in Egypt. Olivetti relied on him to repair precision machine tools due to his remarkable mechanical skills. Many of the machines in his workshop (lathes, presses, milling machines, etc.) were restored by his own hands.

Added to this was his military training, which led him to pilot a MiG-17 and fight in the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel, as well as his deep knowledge of history and theology. We witnessed many discussions on these topics even with highly credentialed academics.

Despite his past, his humility led him to prefer the company of ordinary people and to avoid all forms of ostentation. This trait undoubtedly penalized him commercially, leading him to avoid publicity and integration into the art gallery system, especially during the “peaceful” phase of his life.

Finally, his generosity, which often led him to give away his own food to those hungrier than himself, stemmed from an unshakable faith. One of his favourite sayings when any of us expressed financial concern was:

“God has never left me without food”

To someone who spent six months in solitary confinement in “death cells” with legs scarred by rats attacking him at night, everyday worries must indeed have seemed insignificant.

 

This biography was not written by a professional writer or by artificial intelligence, but by his family: his wife Elisabetta and his children Sami, Sara, and Cristian, who shared the same roof with Mohsen Abdel for more than 35 years.

Portrait of Italian-Egyptian figurative painter Aly Mohsen in Bordighera, Liguria, Italy. The artist is pictured by the Mediterranean Sea in the coastal town where he spent his final years painting in his studio.
Aly Mohsen in Bordighera, on the Ligurian coast of Italy.. 
In the final years of his life the Italian-Egyptian figurative painter lived in this seaside town, where he produced many works in his atelier on Via Pasteur.

Key Biographical Milestones

1940s

Born in Alexandria, Egypt.

1950s–1960s

Childhood and education in Alexandria; he attends Collège Saint Marc and develops an early interest in painting.

Late 1960s – early 1970s

University studies, military service in the Egyptian Air Force, and participation in the Yom Kippur War.

1970s

Beginning of a long period of travels between Europe and the Middle East; artistic training and first exhibitions.

1977

He settles in Italy, where he begins his artistic and professional career.

1986

He moves to Borgofranco d’Ivrea with Elisabetta Nowak; he starts working in artistic woodworking and teaching art.

 

1996

He founds a free painting school open to the local community.

2003–2018

He also works as an art expert, collaborating with Italian judicial authorities.

2018

He moves to Bordighera, where he opens his studio and devotes himself entirely to painting.

2023

He passes away in Bordighera on September 14.

Childhood photograph of Italian-Egyptian painter Aly Mohsen in Alexandria, Egypt with his older brother and cousin. Mohsen is the youngest child on the right.
Aly Mohsen (center) as a child in Alexandria, Egypt, with his older brother and cousin.
The photograph documents the family environment in which the future Italian-Egyptian figurative painter grew up before beginning his artistic training.

Mohsen Abdel, also known as Aly Mohsen, was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on January 25, 1947, into a well-off family, the second of three siblings.

From the age of four, he attended French schools. During this period, he came into contact with the man who would become his painting master, a French painter named Casper. The master took him under his guidance and imposed an extremely rigorous training: for the first five years, Mohsen was only allowed to observe, without ever touching a brush; later, he was required to repeat the same movements for hours on end, until achieving technical perfection.

This education profoundly shaped his conception of art, which he understood as the rigorous and error-free representation of reality. The only form of art he considered legitimate was classical figurative art; abstract art was never taken into consideration. When asked to comment on an exhibited painting, his analysis focused exclusively on light, shadow, perspective, and proportions: a painting was considered “beautiful” only if it contained no errors.

The severity of this training yielded early results. At the age of sixteen, he began selling his first paintings and, with the proceeds, decided to leave the family home to pursue an independent life.

Young portrait of Italian-Egyptian painter Aly Mohsen during the adventurous period of his life between Egypt and Europe.
Portrait of Aly Mohsen in his early years.
During the adventurous period of his life marked by travel, study and artistic activity between Egypt and Europe.

After graduating from the Collège Saint Marc in Alexandria, Mohsen attempted to enroll in the Academy of Fine Arts. The paintings he submitted for the practical entrance examination were consistently rejected. These rejections can be attributed both to the envy of professors faced with a candidate already capable of selling works at higher prices than their own, and to the artistic climate of the time, which strongly favored abstract art over classical figurative painting.

In response, Mohsen carried out an act that would soon provoke scandal. He had his chimpanzee paint a picture, filming the entire process with a Super 8 camera, and submitted the resulting abstract painting as his entrance work. The painting was approved. Mohsen then went to the academy offices to formally enroll the chimpanzee, complete with application form and passport photograph. The incident led to the intervention of emergency services, and once the footage was released to the local press, it caused a media scandal that resulted in his permanent exclusion from the Academy.

In the following years, he earned a degree in economics and commerce and attended also medical school without completing his studies. His first official position was that of deputy director of procurement at the Port of Alexandria.

In 1968, he was called up for military service. Ranking among the top candidates nationwide in the selection tests, he faced strong pressure to join the intelligence services, to the point of seeking personal recommendations in order to avoid compulsory recruitment. He instead enlisted in the air force, became a pilot, and participated in the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel, flying a MiG-17. Unlike many of his fellow pilots, he survived the conflict. During combat, he shot down an enemy aircraft to avoid being shot down himself—an episode that would leave him with a profound sense of remorse for the rest of his life.

His strong intolerance for injustice led him into conflict with one of his superiors, General Mubarak, who would later become President of Egypt. He was arrested without trial and imprisoned in a so-called “death cell,” a cave carved into the rock by the sea, where at high tide the water rose to chest level. After approximately 160 days, he was released thanks to the intervention of his family, who succeeded in bringing his case to the attention of President Sadat.

Egypt was no longer safe for him, and he would not return until the fall of Mubarak in 2011. Concerned for his safety, his family sent him to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris.

Egyptian newspaper article from the late 1970s featuring Aly Mohsen, with a photograph of the award ceremony and Arabic text documenting his early international recognition and fourth-place ranking in a major Italian Academy of Arts competition.
Article from the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram dedicated to the young artist Aly Mohsen in the 1970s.
The publication documents his international recognition and fourth place in a major competition organized by the Italian Academy of Arts.

From here began a long period of travel, during which he traveled with his paints to numerous countries; his works are now found on every continent except Oceania.

Since 1977, he has chosen Italy as his main base, where his older brother Mohammed lives. Together with Mohammed and his younger brother Hassan, he founded a precision mechanics workshop, which counts among its clients companies such as Comau, Fiat, and Olivetti.

Historical black-and-white photograph of painter Aly Mohsen in his studio in Strambino (Turin), while working on a figurative painting. The image accompanies a critical review by Franco Boveri and documents an early phase of the artist’s pictorial research, marked by a strong focus on the human figure and the ethical dimension of art.
Aly Mohsen in her studio in Strambino (Turin, Italy) working on a figurative painting.
The photograph documents an early phase of her artistic activity in Italy and is accompanied by a critical review by art historian Franco Boveri.

During these years, his artistic activity gained recognition in Italy. He appeared in the magazine Italian Art in the World and held solo exhibitions in Florence and Ivrea.

Aly Mohsen during the Radio Ivrea exhibition, Italy, 1983. Early public presentation of his figurative paintings, documented recognition within the Italian art scene.
Aly Mohsen (left) during the exhibition organized by Radio Ivrea, Italy, 1983.
The event represents one of the first public presentations of his figurative paintings within the Italian art scene.

The beginning of what is often referred to as the “peaceful” phase can be dated to 1986, when Mohsen began living with his partner Elisabetta Nowak, of Polish origin and later Italian by adoption. The couple settled in the village of Borgofranco d’Ivrea.

Unable to find furniture on the market that met his standards, Mohsen decided to build the furnishings for their home himself. These works, crafted from solid and fine woods, attracted the attention of visitors and marked the beginning of his activity as a cabinetmaker. Over the years, he created pieces for private clients as well as for commercial spaces, including restaurants, law firms, and nightclubs.

The family grew with the birth of their children Sami in 1987 and Sara in 1989. During this period, painting temporarily took a secondary role, and the production of artworks decreased. Notable works from these years include the restoration of the Stations of the Cross in the church of Caluso, the creation of artworks for the Church of San Bernardo in Ivrea, and several paintings donated to the Municipality of Borgofranco d’Ivrea.

Aly Mohsen during a public ceremony in Borgofranco d’Ivrea on the occasion of the presentation of artworks donated to the Church of San Rocco. The event documents the artist’s relationship with the local community and his contribution to the religious heritage of the area.
Aly Mohsen during a public ceremony in Borgofranco d’Ivrea on the occasion of the presentation of works donated to the Church of San Rocco.
The artist is pictured alongside his paintings and local community representatives, documenting his public recognition and integration within the Italian cultural context.

In 1996, he fulfilled the promise made to his master Casper by beginning to teach painting free of charge in a space near Borgofranco d’Ivrea railway station. His students ranged from elementary school children to elderly women from the village.

In 1998, he purchased a house in Baio Dora, a hamlet of Borgofranco d’Ivrea, and personally oversaw its renovation and furnishings. The house became a synthesis of his artistic vision, featuring marble floors and parquet created from carefully selected materials and patterns, with all furniture and paintings either made or restored by him.

The same building also housed his workshop and painting school, whose entrance was marked by a marble mosaic shaped like a painter’s palette and a coffered wooden ceiling decorated with inlays.

Marble mosaic created by Aly Mohsen at the entrance of his painting school. A symbolic work composed of polychrome marble inlays depicting the artist’s tools and references to the creative process, reflecting his multidisciplinary practice and the dialogue between fine art and applied arts.
Marble mosaic created by Aly Mohsen at the entrance of his painting school in Baio Dora.
The work depicts an artist’s palette with brushes and colors, symbolizing his artistic and teaching activity.
Decorative wooden inlay panel created by Aly Mohsen at the entrance of his painting school. A geometric and symbolic composition crafted with fine woods and central rosette motifs, illustrating the dialogue between figurative art, fine craftsmanship, and spatial design.
Coffered wooden ceiling with decorative inlays created by Aly Mohsen at the entrance of his painting school in Baio Dora.
The work reflects his activity as a cabinetmaker and the integration between visual arts, artistic craftsmanship, and spatial design.

From 2003 onward, thanks to his technical expertise and profound knowledge of artworks and painting techniques, Aly Mohsen was repeatedly appointed as an art expert by Italian judicial authorities. He collaborated with the Police and with the Court of Ivrea in proceedings concerning the authentication and evaluation of works of art.

In 2018, he moved with Elisabetta to Bordighera, where he spent his final years dedicating himself entirely to painting in his atelier on Via Pasteur. During this period, his artistic production was particularly prolific. He also created a painting depicting Saint Ampelio, the patron saint of Bordighera and, like Mohsen, of Egyptian origin, which he donated to the parish and which remains on display in the church dedicated to the saint.

Newspaper article published by “La Riviera” featuring painter Aly (Abdel) Mohsen, documenting his relocation to Bordighera and the donation of a painting depicting Saint Ampelio to the city. The page includes photographs of the artist in his studio and during the official presentation of the artwork, evidencing public and institutional recognition of his artistic career.
Article in the newspaper “La Riviera” on Aly Mohsen’s move to Bordighera.
The publication also documents the donation of the painting depicting Saint Ampelio, the city’s patron saint. Photographs show the artist in his studio and during the presentation of the work to the community.

Abdel Mohsen passed away in Bordighera on September 14, 2023.