Fahrelnissa Zeid was one of those rare women who made a name for herself in the Abstract Expressionist movement despite not being married to one of the famous male artists on the scene.

Some will say that her fame was a result of the fact that she was a princess, but those who do are probably descendants of the “Boy’s Club” who kept women out of the Abstract Expressionist limelight in the first place.

Zeid’s art “combine[d] Islamic, Byzantine, Arab and Persian influences with stylistic elements developed in Europe during the postwar period.” This work exemplifies all of this cultural heritage while still being a kaleidoscopic acid trip of monumental scale. It’s almost 6 feet by 7 feet and is jam packed with color. Her son, the current claimant to the Iraqi throne, said of her work, “All of her paintings are like tales. My mother took a piece from the history. She was very brave. She dedicated herself. She was afraid of no one. She was the first to make a show at home. In 1944, she took all the furniture out from her flat in Maçka and exhibited her paintings. It was really avant-garde.” And it was the success of her home show in 1944 that would determine whether or not she would dedicate herself completely to her art. Luckily for us, it was a hit and led Zeid to create this incredible work that is exemplary of her style and intense talent.

If only Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid was the type of Disney princess we grew up with instead of the beautiful dummies who gave up their lives for men. If only…