Tahiya Halim, 83; Realist Painter of Daily Life in Egypt

Tahiya Halim, 83, Egypt’s top female painter, who dedicated her realist art to presenting Egyptian daily life and folklore, died of unspecified causes Saturday in Cairo.

Born to an Egyptian family of Turkish descent, Halim attended elementary school only a few years before studying at home with private teachers. Home schooling was common among conservative families in the 1930s.

She took painting lessons from Syrian, Greek and Egyptian artists, including painter Hamed Abd Allah, to whom she was married for 12 years. After their divorce, she devoted her life to painting.

Halim used bold colors and simplified lines to depict subjects such as war and human suffering. Her paintings were exhibited around the world, including New York’s Guggenheim Museum.