Realizing that I should have started the series with the artist's photograph I am beginning this week's installment with the picture that was printed in the book itself. By all standards it shows a handsome and elegant man which is perhaps mirrored in his paintings and drawings.The depiction of humans in most of his work is that of very beautiful and handsome women and men, but there is another side of him which he brings out with some of the convoluted pieces showing tormented beings. He also has a knack of drawing or painting figures with indiscriminate bodies or with no faces, as if he did not want to show his real feelings in the work. Quite an enigma is apparent in some of the paintings and drawings which I think adds to the mystery and loveliness of his oeuvres.
The photograph of the artist as it appears in the opening section of the Folio.
this untitled drawing shows a bird whose elaborate plummage consists of plants and flowers. Although not clear there appear to be other avians with similar plummage.Note the Farsi inscriptions in the left margin which blend in with the drawing.
"The Bond", 1968. This mostly black and white painting with some orange coloring in the framework of the center-piece showing a man and a woman covering their faces and being intertwined with a third personage whose features are not shown. There are other humans shown but which are very difficult to discern clearly, including in the top of the painting.
Another untitled drawing in black and white shows an even more complicated intermingling of humans, animals and birds.
"The Polo Game", 1968.A very stylized painting of two horsemen competing in a game of polo with their mallets and the ball on the ground between them.
His love of animals, in this case horses, shows clearly in this untitled drawing. Can you guess how many horses are in the drawing ?
"Maiden of Verse",1965. A much more serene and colorful painting this shows a lovely young girl sitting beside a window overlooking a garden. She is holding a book in her hands but there is also a musical instrument beside her. Note the designs of the carpet, cushions and the tiles in the painting which are traditional Persian artisanal works.
Here again the artist inter-mixes humans and animals in this untitled drawing. In the centre is an old man surrounded by numerous young ladies whose faces are not defined but show one element each.. eyebrows, a mouth, eyes, hair or completely faceless..What message is he sending us ???
"Wheel of Fate", this black and white painting is a striking contrast to his more colorful pieces; it shows an old man and a cyclonic whirl of clouds into which he seems to be sucked. To note his worried look with his hand on his front as he seems to be asking what his fate will be.
And here is Father Fate with his long and full beard holding a balance with a young maiden in one pan and a monster like being in the other pan...it is evident that the latter is given more weight by the artist.
"Adoration", 1972. A very colorful painting of a woman being romanced by a suitor on his knees, both wearing very elaborately designed clothing. Within the ovate painting and surrounding the couple are a number of other couples embracing, while at the bottom left is an old man watching all the actions in front of him.
An untitled black and white drawing shows the artist's penchant for Omar Khayyam's theme of Wine, Women and Song !.
The title of this 1963 painting in English is "Fire Reflorishing to Garden", a rather unclear translation from the Farsi..it is much better described in French as , "Feu en Jardin Fleuri".The motif is rather complicated by the man who seems to be flying away from a fire and stepping over water that is adjoining a flower garden. The rays of the sun to the left are warming garden so it can flower...
This drawing means to represent the story of Abraham who is seen wielding a knife to sacrifice his son while an angel with a very elaborate coiffure holds his hand and directs it to a sheep instead.
"Moonlight Embrace", 1970. here we have another idyllic scene of men and women enjoying themselves in a pastoral setting. Typically there is dancing, music, and wine in a very colorful piece of work.
The artists love of animals is here shown with this untitled drawing of a flock of gazelles cavorting around.:
As is his wont, every so often the artist throws in a painting that has no human figures in it but an elaborate depiction of flowers titled "Valerian", 1975. Also common to such paintings of a floral composition is the presence of two lovely birds on each side of the flowers.
I conclude this week's selection with an untitled drawing of avians intertwined with each other with the central ones showing a considerable and rich plumage.
Amazing artwork!
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