As for the portraits, he added: “I was happy when those paintings were destroyed.” In 12 years, there was only one portrait of Hussein by Omani that the artist remembers with pride.

In 12 years, there was only one portrait of Saddam by Omani that the artist remembers with pride. He painted it in 1992 for an oil company in Basra. The work was presented to Saddam as a birthday ...