Art ATTACK Tuesday - Mahmoud Farshchian "Horses Ruined Village"

By Christian Franzen

Mahmoud Farshchian was born the son of a prosperous rug merchant in Isfahan, Iran in January of 1930. Through his fathers business and artistic prowess, Farshchian developed an early interest in traditional Eastern art. He attended the Fine Arts High School in Isfahan. Once he graduated, Farshchian left Iran in order to study the works of the Western masters in Europe. Farshchian's trip to Europe opened up his mind to new forms of art and he gradually began to blend the two cultures into a very pleasing "universal style". 

After he returned home to Iran from Europe, Farshchian began working at the Ministry of Art and Culture. Eventually he was promoted within the Ministry to Director of the Department of National Arts. Farshchian's new approach to painting was so revolutionary in Iran that he became the the leader of his own school of painting. His school subscribed to the traditional format of Persian Miniature painting while boosting the content and style into new uncharted waters. This "universal" style of Miniatures became popular in the Western Hemispheres of the world and through Farshchain's paintings, introduced many new eyes to Middle Eastern Art. 

Farshchian occasionally teaches at the University of Tehran's School of Fine Arts. He also has his own personal museum that was opened in 2001, The Museum of Master Mahmoud Farshchian, which is also located in Tehran.