Ali Ali Khodja

Great-grandson of the dey of Algiers and one of the oldest Algerian painters, Born in Bologhine on January 13, 1923. Orphaned by his father at the age of 4, he was taken in by his uncles, Mohamed and Omar Racim who were responsible for his education. In 1937, he joined the School of Fine Arts and deepened his knowledge of painting, by studying calligraphy and illumination. Initially a miniaturist and ceramist, he quickly turned to oil painting. Ali-Khodja takes over the pictorial scene by exhibiting alongside recognized artists. In 1948, he was appointed head of the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions and in 1961, he joined the School of Fine Arts as a teacher. To his credit, around thirty postage stamps with a rich theme including the first commemorative Algerian stamp issued on July 5, 1963 on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of independence. He died on February 7, 2010.