Damascus, (SANA) – The "Portraits in Syrian Plastic Arts" exhibition houses a collection of contemporary pieces by artists Nazir Ismail, Mustafa Ali, Edward Shahda and Hasko Hasko, in addition to works by Syrian artist dating back to the first half of the 20th century.

The exhibition, hosted by Quzah Art Gallery until April 20, showcases the progress of Syrian portrait art since its beginnings in the 20th century until today, documenting the trends of pioneer Syrian artists and the marked difference between them and the trends of contemporary artists.

The exhibition displays 12 pieces by Syrian pioneers, including Rashad Mustafa, Saiid Tahsin, Abdelkader al-Naaeb, Naim Ismail, Fateh al-Mudaress, Khuzaima Ulwani, and Abu Subhi al-Tinawi, in addition to two paintings, one of which is more than 90 years old, by artist Tawfik Tarek, the oldest documented Syrian plastic artist.

The pieces shown at the exhibition show the change in Syrian portrait art as it shifted from realistic and academic principles during its early days to expressionist principles during the sixties, neglecting details of faces and focusing on the artist's personal views, culture and understanding of life.

H. Sabbagh