Sursock-Museum
The Nicolas- Sursock Museum (Arabic قصر سرسق ) is an art museum in Beirut, Lebanon, which has been built by the collector named Ibrahim M. Beyhum. It is located in the historic Rue Sursock in the Achrafieh district. Many villas are situated in this street, which were built by the famous families in Beirut, as the Sursocks and Bustroses, in the 18th century.
History
The Sursock Museum is a great example of Lebanese architecture that has Italian, especially Venetian, and Ottoman architectural influences. Nicolas Sursock, a member of one of the most prominent noble families of Beirut, built the museum as a private villa at the end of the 19th century. When Nicolas Sursock died in 1961, he left his villa of the city of Beirut. According to his will, the villa was converted into a museum. The museum was opened with an exhibition of works by contemporary Lebanese artist, a precedent for cultural events, in 1961. Since then, there were already more than a hundred exhibitions. In addition to modern art, the museum's permanent collection includes Japanese and Islamic art.
By 2012 the museum was expanded with an underground extension for $ 12 million by the French architect Jean -Michel Wilmotte and the Lebanese architect Jacques Abou Khaled. The exhibition area was increased from 1500 m² to 9000 m². Besides additional exhibition rooms, a library, a bookshop and a music hall were created.
Collection
The museum houses a collection of art from the 18th, 19th and 20th century. Some 5,000 exhibits collected, including painting, sculpture and ceramics museum. In the permanent exhibition works are, inter alia, represented by these Lebanese and international artists:
- Chafic Abboud
- Lotti Adaimi
- Anton Asfar
- Simone Baltaxé - Martayan
- Juman Beyazit
- Rafic Charaf
- Saloua Raouda Choucair
- George Cyr
- Paul Guiragossian
- Georges Guv
- John Haddian
- Zavan Haditzian
- Hussein Madi
- Halim Jurdák
- Elie Kanaan
- Viola Kassab
- Michel Elmir
- Levon Moumjian
- Mounir Najm
- Omar Onsies
- Mohammad Rawas
- Aref Rayess
- Nadia Saikali
- Mohamed Sakr
- Stelio Scamanga
- Juliana Seraphim
- H. Torrossian
- Anita Toutikian
- Sophie Yaramian
- Khalil Zgaib
- Alain Le Yaouanc