The story began when Emelin bought a Renoir painting in Paris in February 1903. She paid 400 pounds for it and that time it was considered to be a huge amount of money but she said: I think we are the ones benefiting in this deal and who knows we just may be!
This is an extract from the memoirs of Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Bek, the owner of the famous palace of Al-Giza located on the Nile. Al-Giza is famous for its possession of priceless antiques from around the world and the Middle East particularly the paining of Poppies “Vase and Flowers” by Van Gogh.
Mahmoud Khalil was born in 1877 to a rich aristocratic family. After he graduated from a French school he traveled to France to study law at the Sorbonne where he met fair Emelin Hector who was studying music and had a passion for beautiful art. They married in 1903 and Emelin was able to transfer her love of art to her husband. In her company he toured all the museums and art galleries of Europe.
From that point on, Mahmoud Khalil was known for his passion for collecting statues and paintings from the most famous of artists in Europe.
His first painting was by Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) in which he bought for 400 pounds; it is now valued at more than $40 million. Afterwards his collection fever increased and when he returned to Cairo with his wife he had a treasure trove of paintings and statues by famous world artists.
Mahmoud Khalil occupied many political positions. He was responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture in 1937 and then later on he was the President of Congress Council for two terms 1939 — 1941. However he became more famous for his rare art collection.
In his will he asked that his palace be transformed, with all of its contents that belonged to him and his wife, into a museum. This made him a major contributor of rare art to Egypt and the world.
Mahmoud Khalil died in 1953 and his wife in 1960. In her will she asked that the palace be dedicated to the state; in 1962 the palace opened as a museum.
The palace museum includes art works by famous French artists of the 19th century and art critics consider it as among the finest collections. The museum remained in place until 1971 former President Saddat decreed it to be moved to the palace of Amro Ibrahim in the Zamalek district and that the palace be used as an office for the presidency.
Years later the decision was reversed and the paintings and statues were returned to their original location and the palace of Mahmoud Khalil was reconstructed and re-opened in 1995.
Among the contents of the museum there are 208 paintings and 40 statues as well as a host other pieces. Gauguin’s painting “Life and Death,” valued at more than $80 million, is in the inventory.
On the first floor are the most important two paintings. A gallery was dedicated to them alone and has seating so that visitors can sit and reflect. Here Van Gogh’s painting “Vase and Flowers” — which he painted in 1886 the only Van Gogh painting in the Middle East — and the Gaugin are on display.
On the first floor, the French school of art is exhibited with all its movements and artists represented. There are also small bronze statues such as tigers and deer.
In the middle of the first floor there is a huge hall where there is a substantial collection of miniature paintings by the most famous of 19th century artists together with a collection of beautiful china.
The second floor of the museum has paintings by 19th century French artists such as Renoir and Lautrec. The museum also includes a large number of examples of rare French furniture as well as a collection of 2794 rare books. The books are accessible for researchers only. The book collection covers numerous subjects such as culture, civilization, philosophy and all are in French.
In 1978, there was a successful attempt to steal the Van Gogh painting. It was later returned after two years in 1980 in vague circumstances.
The state then summoned specialists to verify the authenticity and provenance of the paintings. This included tracing the paintings back to their sources and establishing where and how they were bought, going back to the first half of the 20th century be it France or Egypt. French art specialists collaborated with other who scrutinized and examined the retrieved painting. They confirmed its origin and officially issued a certificate for its authenticity.
The palace of Mahmoud Khalil is on Murad Street and built with the typically French touches that were famous in the 20th century known as art deco.
It covers 1400 meters and dates back to the beginning of the 20th century to Rafeal Munahem Swass, a member of one Egypt’s Jewish banking families.
After his death in 1909 the palace was sold to a member of the royal family until Mahmoud Khalil bought it in early 1940’s.
The palace is surrounded with a small garden and has two entrances; the main entrance which overlooks Murad street and another overlooking the Nile. The palace has marble winding stairs leading up to it, as there are also sculptures on both fronts of the palace, and a French-style terrace.
The palace is decorated with rich gold-plated engravings in the shape of flowers and grapes. The engravings not only cover the walls but also the ceilings as well as the many roman columns.
