Hatem El Mekki

Hatem El Mekki (May 16, 1918 – September 23, 2003) was a prominent Tunisian painter. He was born in Batavia, Dutch East Indies, and died in Carthage in 2003.

From 1957, his artwork appeared on a large number of postage stamps of Tunisia. El Mekki drew the head of the coin used in Tunisia from 1988 to 1990.

Education El-Mekki arrived in Tunis in 1924 and studied at the Lycée Carnot de Tunis. During his time there, he developed a distinctive Chinese aquarelle (watercolour) technique, despite being unaware at the time of his partial Chinese heritage.

Career In 1947, El-Mekki received the First Poster Prize in Paris. During his time in Paris, El-Mekki associated with prominent art and literary figures, including Albert Camus (Nobel Prize in Literature laureate), philosopher Gaston Bachelard, Gertrude Stein, Daniel-Rops, and others. He also illustrated works by international authors from the United States, Australia, France, Scotland, and Germany.