Hossein Behzad

Ostad Hossein Behzad is one of the strongest miniaturists in the twentiethcentury Iran. Born in 1894 in Tehran, he started his artistic career at the age of seven at Molla Ali"s pen case shop at his father"s encouragement. After Molla Ali and his father"s death, Hossein started working at Mirza Hassan"s portrayer gallery. At age 18 he set up his own independent workshop where he began making reproductions of the Safavid and Timurid miniature, on request. These reproductions helped him master the rules and styles of old and famous Iranian miniaturists including two of his idols Kamaluddin Behzad and Reza Abbassi.

Behzad painted approximately 400 paintings alone, and introduced three styles during his career. Despite of his fame and numerous international and Iranian awards, in old age, he was confined to bed with illness and in dire need for money. He once complained to his friend: "The day after I die you will see what a hue and cry will be raised and what funeral honors and pomp will follow me to my grave to commemorate my memory." Ostad Hossein Behzad died in 1968 and was buried at Ibn Babveh cemetery in Tehran.

Art works

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