Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Seif Wanly is a leading figure of Egyptian modern art. Together with his younger brother, Adham Wanly, he was among the first Alexandrian artists to depict international subjects, such as circus, ballet, opera, music concerts, theater performances, and bull fighting. The Wanly brothers studied under the Italian painter Ottorino Bicchi (1878–1949) in 1929 before they established their own studio in Alexandria in 1935. During the 1950s, they traveled regularly to Europe and visited France, Italy, and Spain. In 1957, they were appointed professors at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria. Seif Wanly was a prolific artist and his work shared an affinity with the École de Barbizon, as well as with Cubism and Fauvism. When his brother Adham passed away in 1959, he went through a difficult period of his life, which was reflected in his work.