A collection of glass paintings created on the basis of the illustrations in an old lithograph of Shahnameh (book of kings) is on view at Malek National Museum and Library in Tehran
The exhibition opened May 15 and for one month. It features a collection of 24 artworks by 13 artists, based on a famous lithograph of Shahnameh created by 19th century master of Persian lithographic illustration Mirza Aliqoli Khoyi, ISNA reported on its Persian website.
The lithograph of Shahnameh, illustrated by Khoyi, is the first of its kind and was printed in 1884. The 595-page book, scripted in nastaliq calligraphy, includes 56 illustrations and has been preserved at Malek Museum. Nastaliq is a cursive and flexible style in calligraphy with long horizontal strokes and short verticals.
On display at the exhibit is a collection of reverse-glass-paintings inspired by Khoyi’s art. Artists have applied paint on the back of the glass pieces and visitors can see the other side. The paintings are created by a group of glass-painting students under the tutelage of Mehrnoush Besharat.
Among the displayed works are some by Besharat herself. The works are in the “spirit, colors and atmosphere of Qajar art,” she said.
Her participating students are Sediqeh Ostadi, Shokoufeh Eslami, Sharareh Emami, Roya Pournaqi, Saeedeh Jowshaqani, Azadeh Javili, Raheleh Razipour, Shokoufeh Qasempour, Neda Qorban-Ali, Mahdieh Qorbani and Mandana Mirfakhraee.
The artworks are hung at Malek Museum to commemorate National Ferdowsi Day (May 15), a day designated to honor the celebrated Persian poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi (935-1020).
“My students worked for over two years on designs and pictures of the Shahnameh edition. They added no pictorial element to Khoyi’s illustrations, and their works are authentic and loyal to the original text,” Besharat added.
Mirza Aliqoli Khoyi, the renowned illustrator of lithographic books during the Qajar era (1786-1925), has created more than 30 books including ‘’Collections of Sa’di’s Poems’’ and “One Thousand and One Nights.”
Malek National Museum and Library is located at Melal Mottahed (Bagh Melli) St, Imam Khomeini Street.
