Persian Red in Tehrangeles
Look at these two gorgeous art-works, included in the Magic of Persia / Sotheby’s exhibition / sale in Los Angeles! Check out the fine detail on this one below: The Red Love, Alireza Astaneh I saw them (electronically …
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Die of thirst or run away
The Iran water crisis is getting noticed. At last! A senior professor of sociology at Tehran University told Al-Monitor: “All these years we were discussing economy, politics, society and democracy. Now, however, these discussions all sound absurd to me. Given the current situation, we will either die of thirst or run away. I am no longer …
Imprisoned for watching volleyball
Goncheh Ghavami went to watch a men’s volleyball match in the Azadi (freedom) stadium – and was arrested. Since June 2014 she has been in solitary confinement in the Evin prison in Tehran Goncheh has dual British-Iranian citizenship. Amnesty International has called for an Urgent Action for her. Amnesty believes Ghoncheh has been put under psychological …
The birth of the export carpet industry in Iran
Ziegler & Company was the first company to produce handmade Persian carpets while catering to European tastes and needs – even accepting designs from Western retailers. What are considered as ‘Iranian’ patterns in carpets were “often affected by European imperialism and process of globalization”. Kimia Maleki has described how Ziegler was “instrumental in shaping how …
Her words moved the world
Simin Behbahani died on 19 August 2014. She may be best known internationally after President Obama quoted her at the end of his 2011 Nowruz video: “On this day – a celebration that serves as a bridge from the past to the future – I would like to close with a quote from the poet Simin …
Getting a ‘1446’ manuscript in your junk mail
Now we just get pizza delivery adverts, but in the 1870s it was manuscripts dated 1446! Or so says the recent BL blog about an overlooked seventeenth century Shahnameh. Apparently Sir George Birdwood, a special assistant working in the revenue and statistical department of the India Office, received a parcel addressed to him in the …
An Iranian peep-box in Canadian customs
A Iranian peep-box (shahre-farang) is being held by Canadian customs as contravening Canadian trade sanctions – even though the Canadian government funded it an artwork. This has got to be one of the dumbest sanctions ever. Please show your support for the artist, Sadaf Foroughi, by e-signing her petition here. Shahre-farang were traditionally made of …
A wise queen outsmarts Alexander
When the beautiful and wise princess Nushabeh first met Iskandar/Alexander the Great, the emperor had disguised himself as an envoy to her miraculous castle. Since Nushabeh had sent artists around the world to take the likeness of all eminent people, it was easy for her to discover him. The artist depicts the reception of the …
Falling in love with a portrait
Here, newly digitised, is the power of painting, in a painting. Barbara Brend’s guest blog about the British Museum Khamsah of Nizami Add. 25900 discusses how this manuscript wasn’t produced in one go, for one patron. One illustration is usually considered to have been painted at the time of the colophon, in Herat: 846/1442. It shows …
1969 Russian film of Iran
Here’s a cute Russian film of Iran – from 1969. Tehran is bustling. Isfahan has all the Safavid architecture we all know so well. Persepolis is populated by some .. well, look for yourself. Click here for 4 and a bit minutes of fun!