This black and white portrait format photograph was taken in a corner of the vast limestone grand courtyard (The Midan) at Beiteddine Palace.
While everyone else is trying to get an overall shot of the courtyard and the more traditional Arab architecture for their memento photo books at home, as an architect I was attracted to the illuminated curving shape of the stonework and stone cannonball, juxtaposed against the more traditional shapes of the arcade and rigid lines beyond fading into the shade. The harsh noontime sun cast a strong shadow in the foreground with perspective lines drawing your eye to the brighter shapes in the middle.
I knew this scene would reproduce well when converted to black and white. What is lost in the black and white translation however are the myriad of soft colors from blond stones to pinks, blues and greens. Color was not important to the scene, shapes and light were. The interior rooms of the palace contain some of the finest examples of painted woodwork ceilings and inlaid marble and mosaics in the Middle East.
This image was selected for display by Black Box Gallery in Portland, OR. for their 2022 Black and White exhibit. See: https://wanderinggraphics.myshopify.com/pages/about
Beit ed-Dine in Arabic means house of faith. It is a small town in the Chouf Mountains and is near the historical town of Deir El Qamar, hometown of the former President of Lebanon, Camille Chamoun. It is located about 30 miles south of Beirut.
The palace was constructed by Emir Basheer of the Chehab dynasty between 1788 and 1818 at the site of a Druze place of secluded worship. After 1840, the palace was used as a government building by the Ottomans who ruled “Greater Syria” (as Lebanon was once known). During the French Mandate after World War I, it served as a local administrative office. Today, it is the summer home of the Lebanese President. Many State official functions such as greeting heads or state are still held there.
The palace is a masterpiece of early 19th century Oriental architecture. It was built by the best artisans and artists of the area, with the search reaching all the way to Aleppo and Damascus. Basheer Chehab returned from a trip to Florence and hired Italian architects to design and help build this great summer home. The style is a cross between Italianate Baroque and traditional Arab architecture. Follow this link to read up more on the palace and see a floor plan https://www.lebmania.com/about/photos/beiteddine/index.htm
It is located at an altitude of 860 meters above sea level so the air in the evening is cool and pleasant and many Lebanese city dwellers escape the heat by living in their summer homes in the mountains. While growing up, my family escaped the city every June to head to my father’s hometown of Broumana in the Metn mountains, one of the best known and loved summer destinations with a great view looking down onto Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea.
This palace is a highlight of a visit to the Chouf mountains and Lebanon. A visit there can be coupled with a visit to Deir El Qamar, a wonderful town to walk around in, among the streets of traditional stone houses with red clay tiled roofs and a great square which was once the site of jousting competitions.
Because of the older age of the digital image, this art print is only offered in sizes up to 20”x24” and makes a great gift for lovers of all things Lebanon and the Middle East. This photography print is best printed on Fine Art paper but is offered as a metal print as well.
This Beiteddine Palace portrait format photograph is suitable for homes as well as commercial and corporate spaces.
See link to Black Box Gallery: Grayscale, a Picture Show 2022
https://blackboxgallery.com/Grayscale 2022
