Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Crown prince of Persia (Iran) in 1931.
The photo is taken when he was studying in Switzerland.
Source: Annual Report of the Imperial Government of Persia 1931-1932. The publication contains interesting information and statistics on the social developments in the country (Pahlavi era).
This unique tile was made in Tehran in the Qajar era (1796-1925); when the city became the capital of Persia/Iran.
The 18th-century tile is now kept at the Art Institute of Chicago. The museum holds a large collection of Persian art in its Asian Gallery, including the carpets, coins, tiles, paintings, etc.
According to the Encyclopaedia Iranica "The Qajar period is now increasingly recognized as a time of significant change in Persian society. Perhaps the most obvious influence was the impact of Western ideas and technology, which accompanied the diplomats, military and technical advisers, merchants, travelers, and missionaries who flocked into 19th-century Persia."
A sketch of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (Nassereddin Shah) from 1873 by the Dutch artist J. L. Ten Kate. It was originally published in Amsterdam under the title De Schah van Perzië in Europa around the same time.
Naser al-Din Shah was the fourth monarch of the Qajar dynasty, which ruled Persia from 1789 to 1925. In the early 20th century, the Qajars were succeeded by a new ruling power — the Pahlavi dynasty.
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, King of Persia (Iran) welcomes King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in Tehran, 1974.
This rare photo was originally published in the state Persian-language periodical 'FARMAN'. The title of the volume is 'Tarikh-e Talayi-e Asr-e Pahlavi' [The Golden Age of Pahlavi Era].
King Faisal ruled Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975 and Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlavi was the king of Persia from 1941 to 1979.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Persia, the countries are in cold war with each other. In 1987 during the Hajj ceremony, hundreds of Iranians were killed in a clash with Saudi security forces and in 2006 the Saudi Embassy's building in Tehran was set on fire with Molotov cocktails.
The coffin of Reza Shah was brought back from the Kingdom of Egypt by train and then by airplane, making two stops, one in Mecca and the other in Medina. Then, later, his body was transferred by plane to Ahvaz, and then later by train to Tehran.
On May 8, 1951, Reza Shah's Imperial funeral took place in Ray, in which Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, along with the entire Pahlavi family, many ministers and Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, participated
Reza Shah Pahlavi (1878 – 1944), was the Shah of Persia from 15 December 1925 until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of his country on 16 September 1941. Reza Shah is considered the founder of modern identity of Persia/Iran.
Penn Museum in Philadelphia recently has reopened its Middle Eastern Galley after restoration. The gallery contains fantastic pieces from Mesopotamia and Persia. The items from Ziwiye (located in Persian Kurdistan) cached my eyes:
If you are around, don't miss the museum!
ALSO WATCH: Art of Persia @ Freer Gallery of Art, Washington DC:
I just received an old newspaper from Birmingham. The daily, dated February 1931 contains an advertisement of "Imperial Bank of Persia".
In various online sources, it is mentioned that Imperial Bank of Persia has been active since 1889 to 1929 but it can not be correct because this advertisement has been published in 1931. Anyway:
The beautiful building of Imperial Bank of Persia is still in operation in Tehran under the name of Bank Tejarat, located in Toupkhaneh Square. The designer of the building is Markar Galstiants (1885-1985), the Persian-Armenian architect.
IBP was the first modern bank in Persia / Iran and established with a concession from the Persian government to Baron Julius De Reuter.
A few pages of a rare manuscript of SHAHNAMEH (national epic of Persia) which has been published in 1971 in commemoration of the celebration of 2500th anniversary of the founding of Persian Empire by Cyrus the Great.
Recently the Islamic Art Museum in Berlin has organized an exhibition entitled "Ctesiphon". The exhibition displays the objects which have been found in this ancient Persian city by the American and German archaeologists in 1931. The organizers of Ctesiphon exhibition has installed a big map at the museum which shows the West Asia. In the map the name of all seas and waterways are written except for the Persian Gulf.
A museum is considered as a neutral and academic organization but it seems Berlin's Islamic Art Museum is just going to please Arab countries; maybe because of its financial ties with them. Also at the end of the Ctesiphon Exhibition there is a sign in English and Arabic! It seems Berlin's Islamic Art Museum does not know the language of Persian Empire and Ctesiphon was Persian, not Arabic. Parts of the exhibition can be watched in this video. The objects are quite unique. If you visit Berlin do not miss this exhibition. It is on Pergamonmuseum at the Museum Island of German capital.
More information about the exhibition: PERGAMON MUSEUM website
I was in Isfahan recently and it made my quite happy to see water again in this river...
Zayandeh Rud is one of the victims of drought in Persia since few years ago. The river became totally dry last year so the current condition has created hope for the people.
Today I visited a unique exhibition at Rotterdam's World Museum: "The Persians, Warriors and Poets". It's a joint project between this Dutch museum and Stibbert Museum in Italy. The exhibition is mostly focused on the Persian weapons in Safavid era; ca. 16th and 17th century. This era is quite important in the history of Persia (or Iran). Safavid kings reunited the country and Persian art (except for music) also blossomed in this period.
But now many Persians do not show interest in Safavid dynasty. It seems the main reason is the current political situation in Iran. The current government of Iran is Shia and Safavid kings were also Shia and cited Shia Islam as the official religion of Persia when they came to power; different from the rest of Islamic countries which are mostly Sunni. Another important point which should not be forgotten is the Persians were mostly Zoroastrian before the Arabs' attack to their country in 7th AD. Anyway what attracted my attention at the exhibition is not weapons or religious/national stuff; it's a very cute belt's buckle. Very artistic! I made a photo of that which you can see in the beginning of this page. It has been made around 1800 AD by a Persian artist. I also love the color, a peaceful blue!
Today also BBC Persian TV aired an informative report from the exhibition. You can watch it here. Rotterdam's World Museum has also published the catalogue of the exhibition as a superb book.
A rare photo of Nartonal Iranian Radio & Television Chamber Orchestra (a.k.a "NIRT) in a concert at Shiraz Art Festival, Persepolis, 1968.
The orchestra in this event was conducted by the Persian-Armenian musician VAHE KHOJAIAN who was a graduate of Tehran Conservatory of Music. The critics were not so kind to this concert and states NIRT Chamber Orchestra needs more time to perform in the beginning of such an International festival. The orchestra later became quite successful and performed in various European festivals as well. A gramophone record is also available by NIRT Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the guest Bulgarian conductor Emil Tchakarov. The LP released in 1978 by EMI.
Today I found these Persian postage stamps in a market in Berlin. They belong to Qajar dynasty which was in power in Persia (Iran) in 18th and 19th century.
I am not 100% sure but strongly believe the king which has been painted on the stamp is NASER AL-DIN SHAH (or Nassereddin Shah) who was the king of Persia since 1831 to 1896.
On the stamp "POSTES PERSANES" is mentioned which is French for "Persian Post". It shows on that time French was a kind of International language, instead of English. _________________
ALSO WATCH: Qajar-era Persian Art Exhibition in Australia:
Perse | Persa | Perzië Perzische Postzegels | Briefmake aus Persien (Iran) 伊朗 - 波斯 - 邮票 | בול דואר - איראן - ממלכת פרס Irán - Persa - Sello postal - Iraní ایرانی - طابع بريد بلاد فارس/ إيران Pul (posta) - İran - Pers İmparatorluğu イラン - ペルシア - 切手 تمبرهای ایران از زمان ناصرالدین شاه قاجار
Last week in New York Times I read Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a Persian-language twitter.
It's good and hopefully an effective way to communicate with Iran's people but I am quite surprized why the content of his Persian twitts is full of mistake?!
Two of them have been shown in the above screenshot. The mistakes are both grammaer and spelling.
Should I believe that there is no Persian-speaker to edit the posts for him?!
Once again the so-called "National Iranian American Council" (NIAC) has promoted itself in a full-page advertisement on New York Times. Today they have also sent a newsletter to their list proudly about that. I am really wondering what is financial source of this organization. NIAC claims it is independent, it supports the rights of Americans with Persian origin and the members donate this organization. Hopefully they are right!
A rare photo of Farah Diba (Pahlavi), the last queen of Persia, with young girls of a tribe.
The photo has been originally published in the Persian-language monthly Ferdowsi in Tehran in 1967.
Based on a short text which has been published below the photo, the meeting had been organized by Shiraz Art Festival. The queen since 1979 revolution in Persia (Iran) lives in exile and spends her time mostly in Paris and Maryland.
A rare photo of Persian delegation at the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich, West Germany.
The photo has been taken by Ali Ghashghayi and has been originally published in the Persian-language weekly TAMASHA.
I just receive the magazine from Tehran and though it's a wonderful idea to share this great photo with the visitors of this blog.
For 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Iran (Persia) sent a delegation of 50 competitors who participated in 33 events in 7 sports. Two competitors in the football tournament did not take part in any matches.
In 1978 the Israeli pianist Amiram Rigai performed various piano works in an album from various countries including Persia (Iran).
This piece is one of the most famous works of Aminollah (André) Hossein named "Persian Fable".
The piece is also known by its French title "Prelude et legende persane". Aminollah Hossein is one of the pioneers of Persian polyphonic music. You can listen to Israeli interpretation of "Persian Fable" here:
Aminollah Hossein composed this piece in 1956 and the score was published on that time in Paris with financial support of Persian Ministry of Culture and Art.
Hossein passed away in Paris in 1983. The actor Robert Hossein is his son.
