Elissa’s Libation

About the painting

On a shore at dusk, a robed woman pours a dark stream from a vessel onto the sand. A small offering, candles and a figure on a stone stand nearby; beyond them, a sailing ship rests on the water.

The light moves from the candles and pale robe to the sea and evening sky. The act of pouring holds the center of the scene, while the ship and distant coast open the narrative outward. The painting was commissioned by the Abi-Houssoun family.