Memoirs of Armenian Cartoonist Issued

The Armenian general benevolent union-cairo has issued the first part of Memoirs of Cartoonist Alexander Saroukhan, the pioneer of political cartoons in Egypt (Born 1898 and Died 1977(. The book, entitled “Saroukhan..His Beginning”, explores the story of the artist in Egypt. It tells the minute details of his travel to Egypt, causes and effects.

[caption id="attachment_57891" align="alignright" width="214"] Saroukhan in cairo, 1927[/caption]

He came to Egypt upon advice from his Egyptian aristocratic friend, Abdel Kader al-Shenawi. In his sarcastic mood, Saroukhan tells his story and the difficulties he faced in Alexandria when he became bankrupt until he found a job as a cartoonist in Cairo.

The book was collected and written by journalist Abdullah al-Sawi, a researcher in Egyptian cartoon history. It deals with the marginal details of the background of what was narrated by Saroukhan. The book also includes some of his cartoons and the first two issues of “Al Garida Al Mosawara” a project that he came to run in Egypt. These issues show his Egyptian friend al-Shenawi supported him upon his arrival to Egypt.

[caption id="attachment_57887" align="alignleft" width="222"] “Saroukhan..His Beginning”[/caption]

Saroukhan explains that he found the reasons behind that, but after many years when he saw his friend who had an aristocratic background working in a print house in Alexandria. Al-Sawi says the Armenian Society published the book and sold it not for profit. The book was published in Arabic, English and Armenian. He also thanked the 'Dar el-Kotob' and the Egyptian Society for Cartoonists, which backed him in all the research he had in newspapers, the old copies and the art works of the renowned artist.

[gallery jnewsslider_title="Some paintings of "Saroukhan"" ids="57889,57888,57885"]

He also thanked the family members of Saroukhan who still keep his study as it was in his lifetime. Saroukhan was a distinguished artist in Austria and worked in a number of newspapers, and magazines. He preferred to work in Egypt, as it was one of the richest countries in the world. It is clear to tell the difference between the living conditions in Egypt and abroad when the first issue of Al-Garida was sold in Egypt for 1 piaster while it was sold abroad for $5.

[caption id="attachment_57890" align="alignright" width="197"] Al Garida Al Mosawara[/caption]

The author said he would start working on Saroukhan part II which narrates to readers the brightest epochs of Egyptian newspapers through the Egyptian-Armenian cartoonist trip between Egyptian newspapers and magazines published in various languages, one of them is Arabic. The book shows the period of time he worked with Fatimal Al Youssef, the founder of 'Roz Al Youssef' magazine, his experience with Mohamed al-Tabei, the founder of 'Akher Saa' magazine, as well as his know-how with the brothers Ali and Mostafa Amin.

Contributed by: Ashraf Ibrahim