Hassan Heshmat

Abstract is: Hassan Heshmat (January 20, 1920 – July 2006) was a celebrated Egyptian sculptor, and is considered a pioneer of modern Egyptian art. Born January 20, 1920, in Menoufia, Egypt, Heshmat earned his diploma in Applied Arts, specialising in ceramics (1938), followed by a diploma from the Higher Institute of Technical Education for Teachers (1954). In 1957, he was granted a scholarship to study Porcelain Design in Selb, Bavaria, graduating in 1958. Hassan Heshmat is considered the first Egyptian artist to create works in porcelain, his sculptures reflect traditional, patriotic and emotional themes. His work has been exhibited widely, and is held in a number of collections and institutions all around the world. Heshmat has been awarded prestigious local and international prizes, winning silver and gold medals at the International Ceramics Competition in Italy in 1964 and 1965 as well as winning first prize in a competition to build a memorial monument for a church in Belgium in 1970. Heshmat was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Egyptian Fine Arts Academy in 1980, as well as a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Culture in 1995, and was later awarded the Egyptian state's Appreciation Award.