The exquisitely rendered oil on canvas features Fadi Barrage’s deconstructed approach to painting. Executed just a few years after his formal training in Chicago, the lot was developed in a period where the artist was honing his visual lexicon. In this work, he playfully fuses abstract elements and realism. He carefully develops a complex composition of form and colour that feels spontaneous but is in fact meticulously executed.

Fadi Barrage (Lebanese, b. 1940 - d. 1988) played a significant role in Beirut's burgeoning art scene from the late 1960s to the 1980s. Educated in the United States at Chicago University and the Art Institute of Chicago (1960-1964), he later moved to Paris before returning to Lebanon, where he actively engaged in the local and international art community with exhibitions in Lebanon, France, Saudi Arabia, Tokyo, and Jordan. His artistic endeavours were widely recognized at the Contemporary Lebanese Artists exhibition in London's Kufa Gallery in 1988.

Barrage's style, influenced by an eclectic mix of naturalism, impressionism, abstract expressionism, and cubism, reflects his interests in ancient languages, literature, science, and admiration for Paul Klee. His work often blurs the lines between realism and abstraction. The Lebanese Civil War posed significant challenges for Barrage, destroying his Beirut studio and many of his works. Despite these hardships, he continued his artistic pursuits while living in various countries, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of his creative spirit.