Michel Basbous

Michel Basbous (1921 - 1981) was a Lebanese artist who pioneered the art form of modern sculpture in his country of birth. Born in Rachana, he studied sculpture at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts and then in Paris, first at the Ecole Superieure des Beaux-Arts and afterward at the Grande Ecole de la Chaumiere in Paris, where he was taught by the Russian artist Ossip Zadkine.

He returned to Lebanon and became a professor of sculpture at the American University of Beirut. Once settled back in Rachana, Basbous began transforming the village into a creative, cultural hub, complete with a museum and space for holding international symposia on sculpture – a project continued by his brothers and fellow sculptors, Alfred and Youssef, after his death.

Basbous was a major influence on both his peers and the next generation of sculptors. His sculptures are diverse in style, ranging from monumental stone pieces to others created from discarded items.

His large works can be viewed in the open-air museum in Rachana, alongside the work of his brothers.

Basbous was the recipient of the first sculpture award given by the Sursock Museum in 1968. His work has been exhibited extensively, both in Lebanon and abroad and features in numerous private collections.