early life and education rafa al-nasiri, a renowned iraqi painter, draughtsman, print-maker, educator, and author, was born in 1940 in tikrit, iraq. he received his early art education at baghdad's institute of fine arts, attaining a diploma in painting in 1959. artistic career and style al-nasiri's works are characterized by the incorporation of arabic letters and calligraphy, which he began to include in his paintings and prints after returning to baghdad in 1965. this unique blend of traditional elements with modern techniques resonated with the iraqi public, making him a major proponent o…