Abd al-Hadi al-Gazzar was born, in Alexandria on March 23, 1925 .

His father was a Sheikh in a religious scholar. In 1940, his family moved to Cairo and settled in the district of Sayyida Zaynab. At Hilmiyya secondary school, Gazzar attended course at the 'artistic club’ founded by Husein Yusuf Amin. In 1950, he obtained the Diploma of the School of Fine Arts . Gazzar worked then as an assistant professor at the same school. He had his first personal exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo during the period December 17-24, 1951.

In 1957, Gazzar obtained his second scholarship in Italy. He participated in the Arab Artists Salon in Rome, where he was awarded the Silver Medal, and at the Sao Paulo Biennial. He visited the Schools of Fine Arts in England, France and Italy.

In 1958, he participated in the International Exhibition in Brussels: "Fifty years of Arts" , where he won the first prize. In 1962, he was awarded the first prize in the competition " The Revolution , Ten Years After " , for his painting The Charter .

In 1964, he was awarded the Medal of Arts & Science and State Incentive Award for his painting The High Dam

In 1965, shortly before his death, he participated for the second time in the Alexandria Biennial

Since his death, in March 1966, his work has not ceased to challenge artists, intellectuals and critics both in Egypt and abroad. Articles and academic studies explored the different aspects of Gazzar’s work during the twenty short years of his artistic career.

He was received the State Incentive Award, the real artistic significance of Gazzar’s work has not been perceived until recently. This is particularly due to the influence which he continues to exercise over the young generations who have made him a sort of a godfather of the pictorial movement in Egypt.

He died in 1966.