Artwork
Autoportrait with a Keffiyeh
Autoportrait with a Keffiyeh 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, *Autoportrait with a Keffiyeh* is a self‑portrait by Lebanese artist Moustafa Farroukh. Executed on plywood, the work presents the painter’s own likeness, marked by a distinctive red‑and‑yellow keffiyeh and a moustache, set against a dark, indistinct background.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait foregrounds the artist’s identity through traditional dress, linking personal representation with broader cultural symbols. By wearing the keffiyeh, Farroukh references regional attire, suggesting a dialogue between individual self‑portraiture and collective Middle Eastern heritage.
Technique & Style
Rendered with bold, thick brushstrokes, the painting employs a stark contrast between illuminated facial features and a shadowy backdrop, echoing chiaroscuro methods that emphasize volume. The tactile quality of the plywood surface contributes to the work’s textured appearance.
History & Provenance
*Autoportrait with a Keffiyeh* belongs to the collection of the Sursock Museum in Beirut, where it has been displayed as part of the institution’s holdings of early 20th‑century Lebanese art.
Context
The piece aligns with the Orientalist tendency prevalent among artists of the period, wherein Western‑influenced techniques were applied to subjects drawn from Middle Eastern culture. Farroukh’s extensive oeuvre, exceeding two thousand works, situates this portrait within a prolific career that navigated both local and international artistic currents.
Artist & collection
Artist
Moustafa Farroukh (Arabic: مصطفى فروخ; 1901 – 1957) was one of Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century.
