During the 1920s and 1930s, pioneering Iraqi artists studied abroad on government scholarships and absorbed western painting styles and techniques. The most prominent was Faik Hasan (died 1987), a graduate of the Académie Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris, and founder of the painting department at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad.

In 1958 Iraq fought for independence, and this widespread nationalist fervour affected artists’ themes. Many sought out their ‘Mesopotamian’, pre-Islamic past and incorporated elements of Mesopotamian art into their own artistic vocabulary. Others began using Arabic script to support their Arab identity. During the 1960s, and until the end of the 1970s, the results of this active art scene – famed throughout the Middle East – were reflected in the numerous exhibitions and collections of Iraqi art.

The politics of the 1980s, and the wars and sanctions throughout the 1990s dramatically altered the ability of Iraqi artists to participate in the international art scene and only artists who supported the Ba'thist regime continued to be active.