Hossein Qollar-Aqasi was the son of master "Ali Reza Qollar-Aqasi, a famous and experienced designer of tilework patterns. in his childhood, he had acquired the rudiments of traditional painting in his father's workshop.
Following the
death of master „Ali-Reza, he resolutely devoted his efforts to the development
of “coffee-house“ painting, creating
magnificent canvas works and mural frescoes based on religious traditions and
national epics. He was enraptured with vivid colors, and in his paintings he
sought every pretext to reproduce the lively tones found in ancient Iranian
illuminations and tileworks. He was a prolific painter deeply in love with the
pure traditional painting of his country. During the forty years or so he was active;
he trained numerous capable pupils and put all his talent and faith at the
service of developing “coffee-house” painting. These efforts continued until
the year 1345, when he died still quite poor and almost unknown.
Mohammad Modabber,
the good friend and collaborator of Hossein Qollar-Aqasi, also learned the rudiments
of traditional Iranian tilework designing beside his friend, in the workshop of
the latter’s father, soon also joining the group of “coffee-house” painters. Having
lost his father in early childhood, he began earning his livelihood by acting
for a while in passion plays, thus acquiring considerable knowledge in the field
of religious traditions. Owing to this background, he devoted most of his
talent of superb works in this field. Yet, unlike his dear friend, Hossein
Qollar-Aqasi, who was a resolute follower of the “school of imagination”, he
sometimes resorted to the use of perspective and other elements found in the
works of European religious painters, departing in this sense from the
fundaments of coffee-house” painting. Nevertheless, he was able to display such
mastery in his works that, according to numerous specialists of the greatest
exponents of this school. His death occurred one year after that of Hossein
Qollar-Aqasi, in 1346, at a time when he was utterly destitute and without a
decent shelter.
The leaders
of the “coffee-house” painting school having; partly due to the school itself
gradually fell into oblivion, partly due to the coffee-houses being replaced by
urban restaurants, whose customers were not so fond of it. And its followers
soon abandoned it for the benefit of more lucrative activities such as building
works. But the author of the present book, taking into consideration the value
and significance of the original Iranian school of “coffee-house” painting, and
wishing to express his respect for its founders, Hossein Qollar-Aqasi and
Mohammad Modabber, as well as their pupils and followers, now leaves the task
of analyzing the fundaments of this school, and that of recording their
memories, to the heirs of those great masters, having prepared the present text
with the sincere help of (Abbas Boluki-Far, the able “coffee-house” painter and
disciple of Hossein Qollar-Aqasi. Fathollah Qollar, the son and pupil of the
late master, Hassan Esmail-Zadeh, the aged “coffee-house” painter and friend of
Mohammad Modabber, and also Hossein Hamadani, the talented follower of Mohammad
Modabber, hoping that the judgments and recordings to come may prevent us from
forgetting the great value and contribution of the above mentioned little known
figures of the history of Iranian, nay, international art history, May their
memory be ever revered.
"Coffee House" Painting
Reza Abbasi Museum
Author and Searcher
Hadi Seyf
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