Muhammad bin Ali al-Rubati

Mohammed Ben Ali Rabbati (Moroccan Arabic: محمد بن علي رباطي; 1861-1939), also known as Ben Ali Rabbati, was a Moroccan painter and chef. Later generations hailed him as the "Father of Moroccan Painting". Known for his art that blends traditional elements with European styles, his paintings focus on life in Tangier, the city where he lived. He is often called an easel painter, but he eschewed canvas, preferring to work on watercolor paper. Rubati was born in Rabat and received Islamic education there. At the age of 25, he moved with his family to Tangier, where he worked as a carpenter and cook. In his youth, Lubarti regarded illustration as a hobby and never received formal art training. Rubati's career began in 1903. At that time, Irish painter Sir John Lavery noticed that he was selling handmade postcards. Lavery hired him as a chef and encouraged him to create watercolors, which he later sold to Tangier's upper classes. Rubati has exhibited around the world, including in London, Marseille and Rabat. In 1933, Rubati acquired a studio in the center of Tangier and opened a restaurant in the same year. He spent most of his life in poverty and died of a heart attack in 1939.