Rafic Charaf, born in Baalbek in 1932, was a leading member of the first generation of modernist painters in Lebanon. He was distinguished by his versatility in artistic styles, and his strong stance regarding the place of art in his society and Arab consciousness. A dedicated public servant, he was a teacher for 37 years at the Institute of Fine Arts in Beirut, which he helped found. He died in Beirut in 2003. 

Rafic Charaf Research was established by his estate to record his life experience and singular position in Lebanese and Arab art. Our mission is to examine Rafic's story through the lens of social history, and assemble his confirmed body of work into a consolidated archive. We welcome working with all those who share our vision of transparency in the art world.