Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in.

Amy Lowell (1874 - 1925).

Yousef Toppozada (1909-1990) was a fine artist from Egypt who was never properly recognised for the quality of his work and achievements during his life time. He organized in Egypt and abroad a series of exhibitions, and was awarded high accolades in major art competitions. Egyptian newspapers wrote many times about his high artistic talent.

Yousef was the son of “Ahmed Hafez Toppozada” who was descended of a Noble Rich Ottoman Turkish originated family. He was born in the palace of his great grandfather “Prince Mohamed Toppozada” in “Darb Toppozada (Toppozada lane)” off Mohamed Ali Street, Abdin, Cairo. The same street that reaches between “Saladin’s Citadel” and “Ataba Khadra” (square) symbolizes an important chapter in the historic Cairo cultural life; at its highest point is the “Sultan Hassan Mosque”, Cairo’s Central Library is at its centre, and at its lowest point was the old “Opera House”. Seldom can such important landmarks be found in one street, which influenced Cairo’s life from the Memluk’s era until Khedieve Ismail’s. Today this well reputed district has become a popular quarter having its own taste and fame, while the fountain of the palace became the center of a small square surrounded by local shops.

He received his elementary education in the “Mohamadeya School” before his departure to Rome in 1923. This school which is now under memorial protection, was founded by his great grandfather “Prince Mohamed Toppozada”, Kotekhda (High Deputy of Mohamed Ali the Great), governor of Alexandria, Rosseta, and the region of Menia, and the owner of the “Borollos” Great Lakes, who received the key to Alexandria from the British “General Frazier” upon the departure of the British army after their expedition to Egypt ended in 1807.

The artist’s life journey was not only centered on Cairo’s deep rooted quarters, but extended to other places in the world. When he was 14 years old he travelled to Rome to study Art and European culture. In his twenties, he went to other European capitals, visiting museums, galleries, and indulging in European artistic culture, which greatly influenced his artistic sense.

In 1932 he returned to Egypt, his homeland, and was deeply affected by the change in culture and scenery, which was very different from the European environment where his artistic talents developed. He was not only able to impressively translate the views on the Nile banks and of the countryside, but also to remarkably portray people, faces and expressions. Yousef’s work was highly appreciated by his generation as well as the new generations that were not fortunate enough to experience true art.

In the summer of 2002, “Dr. Magda Saad Eldin”, the art critic and Professor at the Art Academy in Cairo, published an important book titled “Yousef Toppozada - Between shade and light”. It was such a great success which prompted the “Al-Ahram” Egyptian newspaper to publish (13 September 2002) a large article about it.