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تصویری
خبر و رسانه

14    Abolghasem Saiedi (b. 1925)

List Of Lots

More Info

Art Title : Untitle

Signature: “Saeidi A” in English (lower right)
oil on canvas
190×115 cm
Executed in 2014

Estimated

1,200 - 1,600 Million IRR

Price realized

3,000,000,000 IRR

About Art Work

In this work that is a distinct example of the most noted period of his career, Abolghasem Saeedi exploits a creative expression to present a unique narration of Iranian modern landscape painting. Dominance of eye-pleasing green and blue is augmenting the vivacity of the nature, adding to the visual strength of the painting. Slant composition of the trees and alignment of diverse color planes is shaping the overall structure of the Saeedi’s collection. In other words, the work is making the most of the juxtaposition of vertical and horizontal lines with circular forms and curves to reach a solid composition.

A large portion of modern landscape painting in Iranian art is rightly indebted to Abolghasem Saeedi. In addition to meticulous selection of colors, Saeedi is often aware of the right correlation of colorful forms and ontological perspectives on the nature. Tall trees in this painting, similar to other known works of the artist, are exposed to the wind, their branches violently shaking as if long hair perturbed by the gust. In fact, splendid treatment of the nature by the artist is a result of wise manipulation of landscape and association of humans with such a dreamy panoramic view.

Formalist painting and a more elaborate concentration on cubist geometric forms, which constituted the main structure of many modern art movements of the early 20th century around the world, was limited to western examples and typically geometric works prior to experiments of Abolghasem Saeedi in Iran. A majority of them rarely possessed a tint and identity of their own. Saeedi’s cubist approach, however, that slanted toward geometric abstraction over time appears in overlaid colorful circles, planes and layers. Highly-contrasted blue, green and orange colors of Saeedi’s works make the nature’s creative quality and its green essence twice as much. His paintings defy any classic definition of the nature to pave the way for a fresh, different understanding of the nature in Iranian modern art.

In the 1960s, Saeedi entered a new phase in his career by experimenting with figurative, somewhat popular painting. Fascinated by brilliant colors and inspired by the land in which his mind and soul were cultivated, Saeedi began a significant lasting period in his career; producing colorful, lush green landscapes. “The bright sun of Iran is omnipresent in his work, sometimes flaring in red and yellow circles, and at times unsparingly reflected in thick leaves and flowers with dazzling colors. Looking at such a landscape, a spectator can feel the oriental sun passing across beyond it. Saeedi is illustrating in these works lost Persian gardens in Kashan, Shiraz and willow-groves of Arak; an Eden of tranquilizing and disengaging colors, originating just as much in the garden of mind as in the pattern of rugs and folios of Persian painting in old books and in paintings and beakers of Rey and Nishabur.”[1]

One of the most important figures in the history of Iranian modern art, Abolghasem Saeedi, has been living in Paris for a long time. Nevertheless, his devotion to Iranian culture is clearly seen even in his recent works. He praises colors and is extremely fond of Iran’s untouched nature. According to Aydin Aghdashloo, “The world of Abolghasem Saeedi is the world of a spirited garden, a garden full of poplars and beautiful flowers that furnish a meaning. He translates the garden into a universal language.”

Looking back at the history of art, we see that Saeedi participated in a majority of biennials of Tehran and succeeded in receiving the grand prize of the Fifth Biennial of Tehran in 1966. He also showed a distinctive artwork at an exhibition titled “Persian Garden”, held at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, 2004. A similar work of Saeedi was sold for $146,500 at Christie’s Dubai auction, April 2009.


[1] Mojabi, Javad, Pioneers of Modern Art, Beh Negar Publishing, 67: 2014