Artwork
The Old Door at Abadiyeh
The Old Door at Abadiyeh 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, *The Old Door at Abadiyeh* is an oil painting by Lebanese artist Moustafa Farroukh. The work portrays a weather‑worn stone entrance with a slightly open wooden door, framed by a solitary tree and surrounding ruins. Muted browns, grays and a touch of green convey a quiet, timeless atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on an aged doorway, suggesting themes of transition and the passage of time. The juxtaposition of the sturdy stone structure with the fragile foliage hints at the coexistence of permanence and change within the Lebanese landscape, inviting contemplation of history embedded in everyday architecture.
Technique & Style
Farroukh employs a restrained palette and careful modeling of light to emphasize texture. The oil medium allows subtle gradations that capture the roughness of stone and the grain of wood, while the soft illumination creates depth and a modest sense of realism characteristic of his Orientalist still‑life approach.
History & Provenance
The painting belongs to the collection of the Sursock Museum in Beirut, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s holdings of early 20th‑century Lebanese art. It forms a component of Farroukh’s extensive oeuvre, which exceeds two thousand works produced over a prolific career.
Context
During the late 1930s, Farroukh was among the leading figures of Lebanon’s modern art scene, integrating Orientalist motifs with a personal sensibility. *The Old Door at Abadiyeh* reflects his interest in local heritage sites, aligning with broader regional efforts to document and reinterpret traditional architecture through contemporary painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Moustafa Farroukh (Arabic: مصطفى فروخ; 1901 – 1957) was one of Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century.
