Moustafa Farroukh (; 1901 – 1957) was one of

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

's most prominent painters of the 20th century. During his famed career, Farroukh produced over 2000 paintings most of which were acquired by collectors both in Lebanon and abroad. He also wrote five books including a biography.

Career

He was formally trained in

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and graduated in 1927 from Rome's Royal College of Fine Arts. He proceeded to

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and continued further studies under the guidance of Paul Émile Chabas, the president of the Society of French Artists and many other French artists. Over his prosperous career, he exhibited in venues from

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and

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

. In his Studio in Beirut, he established a permanent exhibition of his artwork in 1932. His work was applauded for its representation of real life in Lebanon in pictures of the country, its people and its customs. He travelled through

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in the early 1930s where his appreciation of Arabic art and architecture had a long-lasting effect on his artistic touch. He produced several paintings representing the Arab legacy in Spain. Farroukh gained significant acclaim as a Lebanese national painter during a period when Lebanon was asserting its political independence. His art captured the spirit and character of the Lebanese people, earning him recognition as the preeminent Lebanese painter of his generation. Most of his paintings were portraits, landmarks, or scenery from his homeland Lebanon. Along with artists, Omar Onsi (1901–1969),

César Gemayel César Gemayel (1898 in Ain al Touffaha near Bikfaya, Ottoman Empire – 1958 in Beirut, Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterrane ...

(Qaisarr Jumayil) (1898–1958), Saliba Douaihy (Saliba Duwaihi) (born 1915) and Rachid Wehbi (Rachid Wahbah) (born 1917), Farroukh is regarded as a pioneer, having laid the foundations for a modern arts movement in Lebanon. These artists established an originality and freedom of expression that had never before been seen in Lebanon. In 1950, as a tribute to his work, Farroukh's name was chosen for listing in Benezit, the world's renowned collection for bibliographical art reference. Farroukh also wrote five books and taught art at the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB; ) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its main campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, autonomous board of trustees and offers programs le ...

and lectured in various academies. He joined the group of philosophers, thinkers, and men and women of literature who lectured in the renowned "Al Nadwa" gatherings or "Le Cénacle Libanais". In 1974, he was portrayed on a Lebanese airmail postage stamp in recognition of his work.

Selected exhibitions

Group exhibitions

* Art from Lebanon, Beirut Exhibition Center, 2012 * De Lumière et de Sang, Foundation Audi, Beirut, 2010

Distinctions

Order of Merit (Lebanon) The Order of Merit is a Lebanon, Lebanese order of merit and the highest honorary decoration in Lebanon. Founded on 16 January 1922 by the mandate authorities, it has since its inception rewarded civilians who perform acts of chivalry and loyalty ...

1954 * Order of the Cedar

References

External links

M. Farroukh MuseumMoustafa Farroukh at Kaftoun
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farroukh, Moustafa 1901 births 1957 deaths Recipients of the Order of Merit (Lebanon) Recipients of the National Order of the Cedar 20th-century Lebanese painters Lebanese expatriates in Italy Academic staff of the American University of Beirut