Widad Al Orfali was born in 1929 in Iraq. Orfali studied at the Baghdad Institute of Fine Arts. Widad honed her talent under pioneer Iraqi artist Khalid Al Jadir. A visit to Andalusia in Spain was a major turning point in Widad's artistic life.

Deeply fascinated by the detailed and decorative manifestations of ancient Andalusian culture, she could not resist changing from realism art to a new world of 'Expression' and her work became an unusual, glorious celebration of her own oriental "Dream Cities". They were her 'Fantasia' that portrayed the beauty of domes, arches, decorations and colours; the timeless spirit of Andalusia entwined with her love for beloved Iraq, subsequently rhythms of Arabia is...