Lot 549: f - Moustafa Farroukh , Lebanese 1901-1957 Beyrouth et le Sannine oil on canvas

signed oil on canvas

measurements note 85 by 142cm.; 33 1/2 by 55 7/8 in.

Exhibition Catalogue, Hariri Foundation, Beirut, Mustafa Farroukh-Oil Paintings , 2002, no. 105, illustrated in colour

Beirut, Musée Nicolas Sursock, Mustafa Farroukh 1901-1957 , 2003, p. 137, illustrated in colour
Beirut, Hariri Foundation, Mustafa Farroukh-Oil Paintings , 2002

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.

Executed in 1948.
Mustafa Farroukh's art is inextricably linked to the landscape and scenery of his native Lebanon. As an artist who studied in the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, and an academic whose intellectual contribution to the development of Lebanese art was profound, Farroukh's paintings act as a synthesis of traditional Lebanese subject matter and a distinctly European composition. Farroukh's stylistic influence clearly hark to the naturalistic and early impressionist movements of the nineteenth century, yet his landscapes are ultimately defined by their devotion to the Lebanese sensibility. His cosy rural depictions and use of gentle, unimposing scenery depict a calm and charming Lebanon. The use of fluid and elegant cloudscapes lend a sense of character and life to his scenes. The absence of people in most of his landscapes is an indication of the sincerity of the artist's appreciation of the nature of his homeland. Ultimately, nature is presented to us as unadulterated, naked and untouched. Yet whilst natural scenery plays a predominant role in Farroukh's art, the mark of the human hand is ever lurking in his landscapes, with the regular depiction of buildings, partially obscured, loitering amidst the clouds. Yet it is important to note that Farroukh's buildings are usually imposed against bold, forceful mountain scenery, an indication of the manmade world's insignificance in comparison to the magnitude of natural phenomena. Farroukh's role as an academic and intellectual contributor to the artistic fields in Lebanon is also highly noteworthy. To spread the knowledge of Fine Arts in Lebanon he started teaching at the American University of Beirut, and lectured at the Cenacle Libanais. As a result of his achievements Farroukh received First Prize of the President of the Republic for the year 1955, the Lebanese Order of Merit, and the Order of the Cedar. Ultimately, Farroukh is an artist whose attention to detail, appreciation of beauty and recognition of the power of nature capture the true spirit of Lebanon.