March 2016

Aziz Art

Aydin Aghdashloo

March 2016

Raphael

Norwruz Festival

1.Aydin Aghdashloo 5. Raffaello 14. Nowruz

Director: AzizAnzabi Editor and translator : Asra Yaghoubi Research: Zohreh Nazari

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Aydin Aghdashloo born October 30, 1940 is an Iranian painter, author, art critic, art historian and graphic designer.

He currently lives in Tehran, Iran, and lectures in different Iranian Universities besides his professional work.

Early life Aydin Aghdashloo was born in Rasht, Iran. His father, Mammad Aghdashloo (born Mammad Hajiev) was an engineer and the Labour Minister in Azerbaijan Democratic Aghdashloo was appointed by the Republic between 1919 and 1920. Shahbanu (Empress) of Iran, Farah After the invasion of Azerbaijan by Pahlavi, as the "Head of Artistic the Soviet Red Army in 1920, he Affairs of Shahbanu's Special and his wife Nahida, Aydin's Bureau". His responsibilities mother, had to flee Baku, included purchase of artworks from Azerbaijan, and take refuge in contemporary artists such as Andy Tabriz, Iran. To avoid identification Warhol, Pablo Picasso and Claude by the Soviet spies in Iran, Monet for the Tehran Museum of Mammad changed his last name Contemporary Art. He also helped from Hajiev to Aghdashloo and establish the Reza Abbasi Museum later moved to Rasht, where Aydin in Tehran in 1977 and was the head was born, and finally to Tehran of the museum until 1979. when Aghdashloo was 5 years old. He married his first wife, Iranian Aydin Aghdashloo started selling his actress Shohreh Vaziri-Tabar, aka paintings from the age of 14, two Shohreh Aghdashloo, in 1971. They years after his father's death as a divorced in 1979. result of kidney complications.

Shah's era 1

After the Iranian revolution of 1979, Aghdashloo lost both his official jobs and was under threat

by Khomeini's regime and was barred from leaving Iran for over 10 years, until 1989.

Aghdashloo had to adjust himself to the new strict rules imposed by the government to control and Islamicize arts and culture. Before being allowed to teach in Iranian universities in 1981, he started his private art classes which he still continues to teach, beside lecturing in a number of universities in Iran.He was also the first artist to exhibit his artwork at Tehran's Assar Art Gallery in the late 1990s.

He married Firouzeh Athari in 1981 from which they have a son and a daughter.

Paintings Early in his career, Aghdashloo took great interest in the Renaissance and Sandro Botticelli's paintings in particular. He even used to test his own skills by copying Botticelli's works to the last detail. His admiration for Renaissance paintings lead to the creation of his "Memories of Destruction“ series in the early 1970s which

became his most celebrated and famous series.In these series Aghdashloo depicts destruction of identity and beauty by painting a complete Renaissance masterpiece and then partially destroy or deface it.

"Memories of Destruction" continued after 1979 but went through a transformation in which Islamic art became his main model instead of Renaissance art, while in both periods he uses Islamic and Renaissance models simultaneously.

He also uses Persian miniatures extensively in his paintings after 1979. The crumpled Persian miniature series are the best example.

Other Besides painting, Aghdashloo is an expert in Iranian pre-Islamic and Islamic art history and artifacts. He assesses items for auction houses such as Christie's and Sotheby's.

Aghdashloo has published eight books; three articles collections, two paintings collections and two researches in Iranian art history.

He has been teaching art and art history in a number of universities in Iran since 1981.

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino April 6 great rival Michelangelo was more or March 28, 1483 – April 6, widespread until the 18th and 19th 1520),known as Raphael was an centuries, when Raphael's more Italian painter and architect of the serene and harmonious qualities High Renaissance. His work is were again regarded as the highest admired for its clarity of form, ease models. His career falls naturally of composition, and visual into three phases and three styles, achievement of the Neoplatonic first described by Giorgio Vasari: his ideal of human grandeur. Together early years in Umbria, then a period with Michelangelo and Leonardo of about four years (1504–1508) da Vinci, he forms the traditional absorbing the artistic traditions of trinity of great masters of that Florence, followed by his last hectic period. and triumphant twelve years in Raphael was enormously Rome, working for two Popes and productive, running an unusually their close associates. large workshop and, despite his Early life and work death at 37, leaving a large body His mother Màgia died in 1491 of work. Many of his works are when Raphael was eight, followed found in the Vatican Palace, where on August 1, 1494 by his father, the frescoes Raphael Rooms were who had already remarried. the central, and the largest, work Raphael was thus orphaned at of his career. The best known eleven; his formal guardian became work is The School of Athens in the his only paternal uncle Bartolomeo, Vatican Stanza della Segnatura. a priest, who subsequently After his early years in Rome much engaged in litigation with his of his work was executed by his stepmother. He probably continued workshop from his drawings, with to live with his stepmother when considerable loss of quality. He was not staying as an apprentice with a extremely influential in his master. He had already shown lifetime, though outside Rome his talent, according to Vasari, who work was mostly known from his says that Raphael had been "a great collaborative printmaking. help to his father".

After his death, the influence of his 5

A brilliant self-portrait drawing from his teenage years shows his precocious talent.His father's workshop continued and, probably together with his stepmother, Raphael evidently played a part in managing it from a very early age.

In Urbino, he came into contact with the works of Paolo Uccello, previously the court painter (d.

1475), and Luca Signorelli, who until 1498 was based in nearby CittĂ di Castello.

According to Vasari, his father placed him in the workshop of the Umbrian master Pietro Perugino as an apprentice "despite the tears of his mother".

The evidence of an apprenticeship comes only from Vasari and another source,and has been disputed—eight was very early for an apprenticeship to begin. An alternative theory is that he received at least some training from Timoteo Viti, who acted as court painter in Urbino from 1495.But most modern historians agree that Raphael at least worked as an assistant to Perugino from around 1500; the influence of

Perugino on Raphael's early work is very clear: "probably no other pupil of genius has ever absorbed so much of his master's teaching as Raphael did", according to WĂślfflin.Vasari wrote that it was impossible to distinguish between their hands at this period, but many modern art historians claim to do better and detect his hand in specific areas of works by Perugino or his workshop. Apart from stylistic closeness, their techniques are very similar as well, for example having paint applied thickly, using an oil varnish medium, in shadows and darker garments, but very thinly on flesh areas. An excess of resin in the varnish often causes cracking of areas of paint in the works of both masters.The Perugino workshop was active in both Perugia and Florence, perhaps maintaining two permanent branches. Raphael is described as a "master", that is to say fully trained, in December 1500.

His first documented work was the Baronci altarpiece for the church of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino in CittĂ di Castello, a town halfway between Perugia and Urbino.

Evangelista da Pian di Meleto, who had worked for his father, was also named in the commission. It was commissioned in 1500 and finished in 1501; now only some cut sections and a preparatory drawing remain. In the following years he painted works for other churches there, including the Mond Crucifixion (about 1503) and the Brera Wedding of the Virgin (1504), and for Perugia, such as the Oddi Altarpiece. He very probably also visited Florence in this period. These are large works, some in fresco, where Raphael confidently marshals his compositions in the somewhat static style of Perugino. He also painted many small and exquisite cabinet paintings in these years, probably mostly for the connoisseurs in the Urbino court, like the Three Graces and St. Michael, and he began to paint Madonnas and portraits. In 1502 he went to Siena at the invitation of another pupil of Perugino,

Pinturicchio, "being a friend of Raphael and knowing him to be a draughtsman of the highest quality" to help with the cartoons, and very likely the designs, for a fresco series in the Piccolomini Library in Siena Cathedral. He was evidently already much in demand even at this early stage in his career.

Workshop Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino from 1482-1508, c.1507 Vasari says that Raphael eventually had a workshop of fifty pupils and assistants, many of whom later became significant artists in their own right. This was arguably the largest workshop team assembled under any single old master painter, and much higher than the norm.

They included established masters from other parts of Italy, probably working with their own teams as sub-contractors, as well as pupils and journeymen. We have very little evidence of the internal working arrangements of the workshop, apart from the works of art themselves, often very difficult to assign to a particular hand.

The most important figures were Giulio Romano, a young pupil from Rome (only about twenty-one at Raphael's death), and Gianfrancesco Penni, already a Florentine master. They were left many of Raphael's drawings and other possessions, and to some extent continued the workshop after Raphael's death. Penni did not achieve a personal reputation equal to Giulio's, as after Raphael's death he became Giulio's less-than-equal collaborator in turn for much of his subsequent career.

Perino del Vaga, already a master, and Polidoro da Caravaggio, who was supposedly promoted from a labourer carrying building materials on the site, also became notable painters in their own right.

Polidoro's partner, Maturino da Firenze, has, like Penni, been overshadowed in subsequent reputation by his partner. Giovanni da Udine had a more independent status, and was responsible for the decorative stucco work and grotesques surrounding the main frescoes.Most of the artists were later scattered, and some killed, by the violent Sack of Rome in 1527.

This did however contribute to the diffusion of versions of Raphael's style around Italy and beyond.

Vasari emphasises that Raphael ran a very harmonious and efficient workshop, and had extraordinary skill in smoothing over troubles and arguments with both patrons and his assistants—a contrast with the stormy pattern of Michelangelo's relationships with both. However though both Penni and Giulio were sufficiently skilled that distinguishing between their hands and that of Raphael himself is still sometimes difficult,there is no doubt that many of Raphael's later wall-paintings, and probably some of his easel paintings, are more notable for their design than their execution. Many of his portraits, if in good condition, show his brilliance in the detailed handling of paint right up to the end of his life.

Other pupils or assistants include Raffaellino del Colle, Andrea Sabbatini, Bartolommeo Ramenghi, Pellegrino Aretusi, Vincenzo Tamagni, Battista Dossi, Tommaso Vincidor,

Timoteo Viti (the Urbino painter), survive: "... This is how Raphael and the sculptor and architect himself, who was so rich in Lorenzetto (Giulio's brother-in-law). inventiveness, used to work, always The printmakers and architects in coming up with four or six ways to Raphael's circle are discussed show a narrative, each one below. It has been claimed the different from the rest, and all of Flemish Bernard van Orley worked them full of grace and well done." for Raphael for a time, and Luca wrote another writer after his Penni, brother of Gianfrancesco, death. For John Shearman, may have been a member of the Raphael's art marks "a shift of team. resources away from production to Drawings research and development".

Raphael was one of the finest When a final composition was craftsmen in the history of achieved, scaled-up full-size Western art, and used drawings cartoons were often made, which extensively to plan his were then pricked with a pin and compositions. According to a near- "pounced" with a bag of soot to contemporary, when beginning to leave dotted lines on the surface as plan a composition, he would lay a guide. He also made unusually out a large number of stock extensive use, on both paper and drawings of his on the floor, and plaster, of a "blind stylus", begin to draw "rapidly", borrowing scratching lines which leave only an figures from here and there.Over indentation, but no mark. These forty sketches survive for the can be seen on the wall in The Disputa in the Stanze, and there School of Athens, and in the may well have been many more originals of many drawings.The originally; over four hundred "Raphael Cartoons", as tapestry sheets survive altogether. designs, were fully coloured in a He used different drawings to glue distemper medium, as they refine his poses and compositions, were sent to Brussels to be apparently to a greater extent followed by the weavers. than most other painters, to judge by the number of variants that

In later works painted by the workshop, the drawings are often painfully more attractive than the paintings. Most Raphael drawings are rather precise—even initial sketches with naked outline figures are carefully drawn, and later working drawings often have a high degree of finish, with shading and sometimes highlights in white. They lack the freedom and energy of some of Leonardo's and Michelangelo's sketches, but are nearly always aesthetically very satisfying. He was one of the last artists to use metalpoint (literally a sharp pointed piece of silver or another metal) extensively, although he also made superb use of the freer medium of red or black chalk.In his final years he was one of the first artists to use female models for preparatory drawings— male pupils ("garzoni") were normally used for studies of both sexes.

Nowruz

Nowruz ( "New Day") is the name of the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian and Kurdish New Year, is celebrated by Iranian peoples worldwide as the beginning of the new year. It has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East.It marks the first day of the month of Farvardin in the Iranian calendar.

years. It is a secular holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians.

Origin Nowruz is partly rooted in the religious tradition of Iranian religions such as Zoroastrianism or even older in tradition of Mitraism because in Mitraism festivals had a deep linkage with the sun light. The Persian festivals of Yalda (longest Nowruz is the day of the night) and Mehregan (autumnal astronomical vernal equinox (or equinox) and Tiregﾄ］ (longest day) northward equinox), which marks also had an origin in the Sun god the beginning of the spring in the (Surya). Among other ideas, northern hemisphere and usually Zoroastrianism is the first occurs on March 21 or the monotheistic religion that previous/following day depending emphasizes broad concepts such as on where it is observed. The the corresponding work of good moment the sun crosses the and evil in the world, and the celestial equator and equalizes connection of humans to nature. night and day is calculated exactly Zoroastrian practices were every year and families gather dominant for much of the history of together to observe the rituals. ancient Persia (modern day Iran & Western Afghanistan).

Although having Persian and religious Zoroastrian origins, Nowruz has been celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious 14 backgrounds for thousands of

Nowruz is believed to have been Ancient Iran. Due to its antiquity, invented by Zoroaster himself in there exist various foundation Balkh (modern-day Afghanistan), myths for Nowruz in Iranian although there is no clear date of mythology. In the Zoroastrian origin. Since the Achaemenid era tradition, the seven most important the official year has begun with the Zoroastrian festivals are the New Day when the Sun leaves the Gahambars and Nowruz, which zodiac of Pisces and enters the occurs at the spring equinox. zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the According to Mary Boyce, Spring Equinox. Nowruz is also a “It seems a reasonable surmise that holy day for Sufi Muslims, Nowruz, the holiest of them all, Bektashis, Ismailis, Alawites,Alevis, with deep doctrinal significance, Babis and adherents of the Bahá'í was founded by Zoroaster Faith. himself.Between sunset on the day The term Nowruz in writing first of the 6th Gahanbar and sunrise of appeared in historical Persian Nowruz, Hamaspathmaedaya (later records in the 2nd century CE, but known, in its extended form, as it was also an important day during Frawardinegan) was celebrated. the time of the Achaemenids (c.

This and the Gahanbar are the only 550–330 BCE), where kings from festivals named in the surviving text different nations under the Persian of the Avesta.

Empire used to bring gifts to the The Shahnameh dates Nowruz as Emperor, also called King of Kings far back to the reign of Jamshid, (Shahanshah), of Persia on Nowruz. who in Zoroastrian texts saved The significance of Nowruz in the mankind from a killer winter that Achaemenid Empire was such that was destined to kill every living the great Persian king creature. The mythical Persian King Cambyses II's appointment as the Jamshid (Yima or Yama of the Indoking of Babylon was legitimized Iranian lore) perhaps symbolizes only after his participation in the the transition of the Indo-Iranians New Year festival from animal hunting to animal History and tradition husbandry and a more settled life The celebration has its roots in in human history

In the Shahnameh and Iranian first day when the universe started mythology, he is credited with the its motion.The Persian historian foundation of Nowruz. In the Abu Saʿīd Gardēzī in his work titled Shahnama, Jamshid constructed a Zayn al-Akhbār under the section of throne studded with gems. He had the Zoroastrians festivals mentions demons raise him above the earth Nowruz (among other festivals) and into the heavens; there he sat on specifically points out that his throne like the sun shining in Zoroaster highly emphasized the the sky. The world's creatures celebration of Nowruz and gathered in wonder about him Mehregan. and scattered jewels around him, History and called this day the New Day or Nowruz in Persia No/Now-Ruz. This was the first day Persepolis all nations staircase. of the month of Farvardin (the first Notice the people from across the month of the Persian calendar).

Achaemenid Persian Empire The Persian scholar Abu Rayhan bringing gifts. Some scholars have Biruni of the 10th century CE, in his associated the occasion to be Persian work "Kitab al-Tafhim li either Mehregan or Nowruz.

Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim" provides a Shah Tahmasp I and Humayun description of the calendar of celebrating Nowvruz festival, 16th various nations. Besides century, Isfahan, Persia the Persian calendar, various Although it is not clear whether festivals of Arabs, Jews, Sabians, proto-Indo-Iranians celebrated a Greeks and other nations are feast as the first day of the mentioned in this book. In the calendar, there are indications that section on the Persian calendar , both Iranians and Indians may have he mentions Nowruz, Sadeh, observed the beginning of both Tiregan, Mehregan, the six autumn and spring, related to the Gahanbar, Parvardegaan, harvest and the sowing of seeds, Bahmanja, Isfandarmazh and respectively, for the celebration of several other festivals. new year.

According to him: It is the belief of the Persians that Nowruz marks the

Boyce and Grenet explain the Hall, traditions for seasonal festivals and were built for the specific purpose comment: "It is possible that the of celebrating Nowruz. Although splendor of the Babylonian there may be no mention of festivities at this season led the Nowruz in recorded Achaemenid Persians to develop their own inscriptions (see picture),there is a spring festival into an established detailed account by Xenophon of a new year feast, with the name Nowruz celebration taking place in Navasarda 'New Year' (a name Persepolis and the continuity of this which, though first attested festival in the Achaemenid through Middle Persian tradition.in 539 BC the Jews came derivatives, is attributed to the under Persian rule thus exposing Achaemenian period). Since the both groups to each other's communal observations of the customs. According to ancient Iranians appear in general EncyclopÌdia Britannica, the story to have been a seasonal ones, and of Purim as told in the Book of related to agriculture, it is Esther is adapted from a Persian probable, that they traditionally novella about the shrewdness of held festivals in both autumn and harem queens suggesting that spring, to mark the major turning Purim may be a transformation of points of the natural year". the Persian New Year. A specific We have reasons to believe that novella is not identified and the celebration is much older than EncyclopÌdia Britannica itself that date and was surely notes that "no Jewish texts of this celebrated by the people and genre from the Persian period are royalty during the Achaemenid extant, so these new elements can times (555–330 BC). It was, be recognized only inferentially". therefore, a highly auspicious The Encyclopaedia of Religion and occasion for the ancient Iranian Ethics notes that the Purim holiday peoples. It has been suggested is based on a lunar calendar while that the famous Persepolis Nowruz occurs at the spring complex, or at least the palace of equinox (solar calendar).

Apadana and the Hundred Columns

The two holidays are therefore Sassanids established their power celebrated on different dates but in West Asia around 300 CE, within a few weeks of each other, Parthians celebrated Nowruz in depending on the year. Both Autumn and 1st of Farvardin began holidays are joyous celebrations. at the Autumn Equinox. During Given their temporal associations, Parthian dynasty the Spring Festival it is possible that the Jews and was Mehragan, a Zoroastrian and Persians of the time may have Iranian festival celebrated in honor shared or adopted similar customs of Mithra. for these holidays. The story of Extensive records on the Purim as told in the Book of Esther celebration of Nowruz appear has been dated anywhere from following the accession of Ardashir 625–465 BC (although the story I of Persia, the founder of the takes place with the Jews under Sassanid dynasty (224–651 CE). the rule of the Achaemenid Under the Sassanid Emperors, Empire and the Jews had come Nowruz was celebrated as the most under Persian rule in 539 BC), important day of the year. Most while Nowruz is thought to have royal traditions of Nowruz such as first been celebrated between royal audiences with the public, 555–330 BC. It remains unclear cash gifts, and the pardoning of which holiday was established prisoners, were established during first. the Sassanian era and persisted Nowruz was the holiday of unchanged until modern times.

Arsacid/Parthian dynastic Empires Nowruz, along with Sadeh who ruled Iran (248 BC-224 CE) (celebrated in mid-winter), survived and the other areas ruled by the in society following the Arsacid dynasties outside Parthia introduction of Islam in 650 CE. (such as the Arsacid dynasty of Other celebrations such Gahanbar Armenia and Iberia). There are and Mehragan were eventually specific references to the side-lined or were only followed by celebration of Nowruz during the the Zoroastrians, who carried them. reign of Vologases I (51–78 CE), but It was adopted as the main royal these include no details.Before holiday during the Abbasid period.

In the book Nowruznama drink immortality from the Cup of ("Book of the New Year", which is Jamshid; and keep in solemn trust attributed to Omar Khayyam, the customs of our ancestors, their a well known Persian poet and noble aspirations, fair gestures and mathematician), the exercise of justice and a vivid description of the righteousness. May thy soul celebration in the courts of the flourish; may thy youth be as the Kings of Persia is provided: new-grown grain; may thy horse be “From the era of Kai Khusraw till puissant, victorious; thy sword the days of Yazdegard, last of the bright and deadly against foes; thy pre-Islamic kings of Persia, the hawk swift against its prey; thy royal custom was thus: on the every act straight as the arrow's first day of the New Year, shaft. Go forth from thy rich Now Ruz, the King's first visitor throne, conquer new lands. Honor was the High Mobad of the the craftsman and the sage in equal Zoroastrians, who brought with degree; disdain the acquisition of him as gifts a golden goblet full of wealth. May thy house prosper and wine, a ring, some gold coins, a thy life be long!" fistful of green sprigs of wheat, a Following the demise of the sword, and a bow. In the language Caliphate and the subsequent reof Persia he would then glorify God emergence of Persian dynasties and praise the monarch. This was such as the Samanids and Buyids, the address of the High Mobad to Nowruz was elevated to an even the king : "O Majesty, on this feast more important event. The Buyids of the Equinox, first day of the first revived the ancient traditions of month of the year, seeing that thou Sassanian times and restored many hast freely chosen God and the smaller celebrations that had been Faith of the Ancient ones; may eliminated by the Caliphate.

Surush, the Angel-messenger, According to the Syrian historian grant thee wisdom and insight Yaqut al-Hamawi, the Iranian Buyid and sagacity in thy affairs. ruler ʿAżod-od-Dawla (r. 949-83) Live long in praise, be happy and customarily welcomed Nowruz in a fortunate upon thy golden throne, majestic hall,

wherein servants had placed gold and silver plates and vases full of fruit and colorful flowers.The King would sit on the royal throne (masnad), and the court astronomer came forward, kissed the ground, and congratulated him on the arrival of the New Year. The king would then summon musicians and singers, and invited

his boon companions. They would gather in their assigned places and enjoy a great festive occasion.

Even the Turkic and Mongol invaders did not attempt to abolish Nowruz in favor of any other celebration. Thus, Nowruz remained as the main celebration in the Persian lands by both the officials and the people.

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