Melons

The Formative Years and Roman Training

Born in Ghosta, Lebanon, Daoud Corm was the son of Sham'un Hokayem, a polymath and polyglot. His artistic talent was recognized at the age of nine by friars from the Jesuit College of Ghazir, who encouraged him to pursue formal studies. In 1870, Corm traveled to Rome and enrolled at the Accademia di San Luca, where he studied under the Italian court painter Roberto Bompiani. During his five years in Italy, he spent significant time in museums and churches, copying the works of Renaissance masters.

Corm achieved early recognition when he was commissioned to paint a portrait of Pope Pius IX. Although the Pope initially refused to have the portrait sent to Lebanon, Corm drew the figure from memory, and the resulting work was presented to the Pope by Bompiani. This portrait is currently held in the Vatican Library collection. Following his time in Rome, Corm served as an official painter to the Belgian royal family under Leopold II.

Artistic Career and Legacy in Beirut

Upon returning to Lebanon in 1875, Corm became a sought-after portraitist for the Beiruti nobility and various prominent figures, including members of the Sursock family and Abbas II of Egypt. His portraiture often featured subjects in a three-quarter view, rendered in soft light against dark backgrounds, with a focus on human anatomy and the social standing of the sitter. He was also a prolific religious painter, creating works found in churches across Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine.

In 1912, he opened Maison d'Art in Beirut, an art supply store and studio that became a commercial success. Corm's work received international acclaim, including a Prize of Honor of Excellence at the 1900 Paris Exhibition. He was honored with the Lebanese Order of Merit and the Ottoman Medal of Glory. He is recognized as a pioneer who helped establish a modern Lebanese arts movement, moving away from traditionalist styles toward academic art-making.