View From Beirut

Farroukh applied pigment thickly to the rough surface of plywood, creating a tactile, uneven texture that enhances the sense of physical presence. Earthy hues—beige, brown, muted green—dominate, with occasional red accents on rooftops. The impasto-like layering and deliberate lack of polish give the work a raw, unrefined quality, aligning with a personal rather than academic aesthetic.

The painting has remained in the Sursock Museum’s collection since its acquisition, likely shortly after its creation. Farroukh’s reputation as both artist and writer helped secure his works in institutional holdings. While little is documented about its early exhibition history, its preservation reflects its significance within Lebanon’s emerging national art canon.

In the late 1930s, Lebanon was under French mandate, and local artists like Farroukh were navigating identity through imagery rooted in their surroundings. Rather than adopting European styles wholesale, he turned to domestic scenes and accessible materials, contributing to a distinctly Lebanese modernism that valued authenticity over imitation.

Farroukh’s use of plywood and emphasis on local subject matter influenced later generations of Lebanese artists seeking to define a visual language independent of colonial frameworks. *View From Beirut* stands as an early example of this shift, demonstrating how everyday materials and ordinary views could carry cultural weight in modern art.