Artwork
Sun and Life Setting
Sun and Life Setting is an oil painting by the Orientalist artist Moustafa Farroukh. It dates from 1939 and is held in the collection of the Sursock Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1939, *Sun and Life Setting* is an oil painting by Lebanese artist Moustafa Farroukh, a prolific figure of the twentieth‑century art scene. The work belongs to the Orientalist tradition and is part of the permanent collection of the Sursock Museum in Beirut.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents an elderly, bearded man in a turban, shown from the chest upward. He clasps his hands before him, his gaze lowered and his expression tranquil, suggesting a moment of quiet reflection as the day wanes.
Technique & Style
Farroukh employs chiaroscuro to model the figure against a warm, golden backdrop that suggests a setting sun. A left‑hand light source creates subtle gradations of tone, while the restrained palette of reds, whites, and amber focuses attention on the sitter’s face.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the collection of the Sursock Museum, a key institution for modern Lebanese art. It remains displayed there, representing Farroukh’s contribution to the Orientalist movement and his extensive output of more than two thousand works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Moustafa Farroukh (Arabic: مصطفى فروخ; 1901 – 1957) was one of Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century.
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