Musée National des Beaux-Arts in Algiers, Museums, Algeria

Located in a beautifully landscaped garden on the Rue Mohamed Belouizdad in Algiers, the capital city of Algeria, the Musée National des Beaux-Arts (National Gallery of Fine Arts) houses an impressive collection of paintings, prints and sculptures by renowned Algerian and international artists.

Visitors to the Musée National des Beaux-Arts can expect to see works by Mohamed Racim (1896-1975) renowned for his skill in producing superb miniatures. At a time when Algeria was a French territory, this well-respected Algerian artist is credited with fighting against the French through his art by promoting pride in Algeria among his fellow countrymen, spurring them on to strive for independence. Other Algerian artists featured at the museum include Mohamed Temmam and Bachir Chaouch Yelles.

International artists represented at the Musée National des Beaux-Arts include French artist and lithographer Ferdinand Victor Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) and French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Works by French-born artist Nasreddine (Etienne) Dinet are also on display at the museum. This talented artist was born in Paris, France, on 28 March 1961 and spent close to 50 years of his life in southern Algeria, making a name for himself as an Orientalist artist. In 1913 Dinet converted to Islam and took on the name of Nacer Ad Dine, meaning “Defender of the Faith”. Dinet died in France on 24 December 1929 and his body was transported to Algiers to be interred in a mausoleum, thus returning him to the country he had come to love. Dinet’s great empathy for Algerians is evident in his works displayed at the Musée National des Beaux-Arts.

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