London – A rare work by Egyptian artist Gazbia Sirry (1925-2021) leads Bonhams Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sale on 21 May at New Bond Street, London. Painted in 1951, A Woman with Water Pots was exhibited at Sirry's first landmark solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo and is the earliest work by the artist ever to come to auction. It has an estimate of £170,000-200,000.

Nima Sagharchi, Group Head of Middle Eastern, Islamic and South Asian Art, commented: "A Woman with Water Pots is an exquisite rare early work by one of Egypt's most influential modern artists. The painting embodies Gazbia Sirry's bold visual language and unwavering dedication to portraying the strength and resilience of Egyptian women. This is the earliest work by the artist to ever come to auction, and we certainly expect a great deal of interest."

Gazbia Sirry was born in Cairo in 1925 to an aristocratic Turkish family and raised by her widowed mother and divorced grandmother, alongside her two sisters. She graduated from the Higher Institute of Art Education for Women in 1948, before continuing her training at the studio of Marcel Gromaire in Rome in 1951, and the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 1955. Early in her career, Sirry joined the Modern Art Group, whose aim was to create authentic Egyptian art which also incorporated Western art practices. Sirry's early paintings are characterized by depictions of strong female figures from across social and economic classes, a contrast to the popular focus on the depiction of female peasants in Egypt in 1920s and 1930s. Sirry had a complex relationship with Nasser regime and her works often reflect the political climate of Egypt and shifts throughout her lifetime.

Sirry's work has been exhibited widely, including at the Venice Biennale in 1952, 1956, 1958 and 1984. Her works are held in the Modern Art Museum, Cairo; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris and the National Museum for Women in the Arts, Washington D.C.

Other highlights of the sale include:

• Jewad Selim (Iraq, 1919-1961), Pastorale. Estimate: £80,000 - 120,000.

• Shakir Hassan Al Said (Iraq, 1925-2004), Fragments of Tradition (Shariha Turathiyya). Estimate: £60,000-100,000.

• Shafic Abboud (Lebanon, 1926-2004), Une Apremidi A Poil De Loup. Estimate: £75,000 - 100,000.

• Effat Naghi (Egypt, 1905-1994), The Driving Force (al-quwwa ad-dafiah). Estimate: £50,000-80,000