 Jean-Cesar
Sfeir (1898 - 1973)
After passing
the certificate L.-es-L. (Philologie and Etudes Pratiques 1927)
I attended the following courses:
College
de France (1930)
Course on Arabic Philology by William Marcais
Course on Islamic Sociology by Louis Massignon
Ecole
des Hautes-Etudes (1931-1934)
Special Subject Course on Islamic Thought by Louis Massignon
Course on Phonology and Dialectology by William Marcais
Course on Biblical Language by Paul Dhorme
Ecole
des Langues Orientales (1931)
Course on Arabic Literature by Gaudefroy-Demombines, followed by
a year of research at the Institute de Phonetique in preparation
for my Thesis for a Doctorate es Lettres on Rhythms and Intervals
in Islamic Music
1934
–1936
While working on this thesis, I attended different courses on philosophical
subjects (mainly on French Philosophy in the seventeenth Century,
and took part in various publications. The most important was the
translation of the Legend of Al-Hallaje, edited by Louis Massignon
and Paul Kraus (Edit. Du Calame, Paris 1936).
1940
Came to England invited by the Representative of the Monotype Corporation.
Was received in London by Dr. Fulton (of the British Museum) and
by Stanley Morrison then one of the Directors of the Monotype Corporation.
They were then working on the engraving of a new script.
1941-1942
Gave a series of lectures in Manchester: The Soufi movement in the
Tenth Century. This lecture was organized by Professor Robertson
now the Librarian of the Rylands Library. Another Lecture on Contemporary
French Poetry was given at the Manchester University.
A little later
I was appointed as a part-time lecturer and after as full-time lecturer
at the French department of the same university until 1958 (a period
of 15 years).
In 1945
I presented a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts on French
Poetry, in the Manchester Univers.
In 1958
I was appointed as Professor of French literature and philosophy
in the National University of Beirut. I decided to relinquish this
post and after a year, the political situation not favoring academic
free expression: not to mention the months of waiting for the payment
of stipends.
In 2010
The
municipality of Jbeil Byblos has honored him.
In French:
Né à
Jounieh le 1er Avril 1898
Ses parents
se sont installés en France au début du siècle.
Doué de multiples talents, il s'est acquis une instruction
encyclopédique couvrant également les domaines littéraires,
philosophiques et artistiques. Avide de recherche, il était
devenu un point de repère pour ceux qui voulaient acquérir
des connaissances développées dans les domaines précités.
Voici
un aperçu de ses acquisitions:
1- Licence – és - Lettres en Philologie et Etudes pratiques
en 1927
2- Collège de France: cours de Sociologie Islamique, 1930
3- Ecole des hautes études: cours de Phonologie et Dialectologie;
cours de langage Biblique.
4- Ecole des langues Orientales: cours de littérature Arabe,
Doctorat és - lettres sur la thèse: Rythmes et intervalles
en musique Islamique.
5- Cours de Sujets Philosophiques, principalement la philosophie
française au XVII siècle. Il prit part à la
traduction de la légende Al-Hallaj 1934-1936
6- En 1940, après la défaite de la France, il fut
invité en Angleterre par le représentant de la Monotype
Corporation du British Museum.
7- Professeur attiré à l'Université de Manchester
de Littérature Française jusqu'en 1958
8- Master of Arts de l'Université de Manchester sur la poésie
Française
9- Professeur de Littérature Française et de philosophie
a l'Université Libanaise de Beyrouth en 1958
10- Membre de la « modern painters society » en Angleterre
(société fondée en 1910)
11- Violoniste virtuose, il a pris part à de nombreux concerts
de Chambre en France et en Angleterre.
Mort à Beyrouth le 27/12/73, laissant un
grand nombre d'œuvres manuscrites et des tableaux de peintures de
rares beautés.
Enterré
à Jbail au cimetière Mar Yaacoub dans le caveau de
la famille Sfeir.
En L'an
2010 et en hommage aux ancien de la ville de Byblos Jbail,
la municipalité a organisé une exposition de ses tableaux.
QUELQUES APPRECIATIONS
• Jean-Cesar Sfeir's Pin Parasol looks like the work of a master.
(The Manchester Guardian)
• …White Home by X.X.X. seems to strain simplification dangerously
close to emotion while J.-C. Sfeir whose paintings evolving from
the expressionist movement in Central Europe comes as a refreshing
surprise.(The Manchester Guardian)
• The main attractions of this show are provided by new paintings…
J.-C. Sfeir with an understanding that is unusually sophisticated
for these impatient times… (Evening News)
• The Lake. A scenery very boldly and surely treated with the palette-knife
by J.-C. Sfeir… (The Manchester Guardian)
• La peinture de Cesar Sfeir n'est que le signe le plus visible
de ses dons multiples: littérature, musique, art de vivre
et d'aimer. Elle les révèle tous dans la générosité
des lignes et des couleurs. (Marcel Girard)
Apocalypse, oil painting 76 x 52 cm
►► Some
of the artist's artwork
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