Farewell Gamal Kotb , Egypt's top Book cover artist

Egypt lost last Sunday one of its most talented as well underrated painters and artists , Gamal Kotb.
The 1930-born painter passed away last Sunday in Cairo quietly as only his fans and students from artists mourn him.

Gamal Kotb in a photo that goes back to 2010

Despite as a painter he may not be famous I think like other Egyptian artists in the 20th century , Gamal Kotb can be or actually is Egypt's top book cover artist.
Originally from Gharbia , Gamal Kotb graduated from the faculty of arts in Cairo.
He joined Dar El-Hilal press institution when it was still a great publishing house.
His name as an illustrator began to become famous in Egyptian press the 1960s thanks to Dar El-Hilal's publications.
Gamal Kotb's real fame came as the cover artist of Naguib Mahfouz's novels as well other prominent writers and novelists like Ihsan Abdel Quddous since the 1960s thanks to publisher Abdel Hameed Gouda El-Sahar.
Yet, his name has become a synonym to Mahfouz's books cover artist thanks to his beautiful retro romantic illustrations.

A collection of Naguib Mahfouz's novels and their original covers by Gamal Kotb

His style was a mix of noir and pulp fiction , very distinguished that you recognize it without reading his signature.

Another batch of famous Mahfouz's novels covers by Kotb

I am a huge fan of Kotb's book covers.
I am proud that I own books he illustrated their covers.

Mohamed Hussein Heikal's "Zeinab" cover in 1996 by Gamal Kotb

Taha Hussein's "Tortured of the earth" cover in 1996 by Gamal Kotb

Youssef Idris' "Incident of honor" book cover by Kotb in 1997

Mahmoud Taymour's " The call of the unknown" book cover in 1997

Yahia Haqqai's "Um Hashem's lantern" book cover in 1997

The man did lie that his work entered almost every Egyptian house in the past 50 years.
Millions of houses got his work in their libraries.

A collection of Ihsan Abdel Qudduos' romantic novels cover art by Kotb

still, the man was underrated as a Painter. Recently , I knew he had paintings and exhibits but unfortunately our press in Egypt limited him in the role of Book cover artist.
According to his biography , one of his paintings are among Queen Elizabeth's private collection. I would like to see that
Needless to say , he became a legendary book cover artist but still he was and is underrated.
I have been searching for days for his paintings and I could not find anything except two paintings.

A painting by Gamal Kotb

A painting by Gamal Kotb

Aside, his work as a painter and book cover artist , Kotb was a professor in the Arts academy in Cairo.
Gamal Kotb's daughter is Dr. Heba Kotb , the famous sexologist by the way.
May he rest in peace , Gamal Kotb as his art is still alive in Egypt thanks to his amazing book covers.