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…