Abolhassan Etessami (1903–1978), was an Iranian architect,

calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

, painter, and novelist.

Biography

His father Mīrzā Ebrāhīm Khan Mostawfī Eʿteṣām-al-Molk (or Ebrahim Etessami) was from Ashtian and the head of finance of the Iranian province of

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

. His brother

Yussef Etessami Yussef E'tesami (also known as, E'tesam-al-Molk, Mirza Yusuf E'tesami Ashtiani; 1874–1938), was an Iranian journalist, politician, publisher, translator, and writer. He was a member of the second Majles (from 1909 to 1912). His daughter was po ...

was the founder of the ''Bahar'' journal, and the father of the poet Parvin Etessami. Abolhassan Etessami was educated in

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

at the Aghdasieh School, the American School, and the

Kamal-ol-molk Mohammad Ghaffari ( fa, محمد غفاری), better known as Kamal-ol-Molk (), was an Iranian painter and part of the Ghaffari family in Kashan. Biography Mohammad Ghaffari, better known as Kamal-ol-Molk, born in Kashan in 1848, to a family wi ...

School of Fine Arts. Then he spent some years in

Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...

to learn architecture and decoration techniques, and later went to work at

Tehran University The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...

. Etessami produced a series of architecture projects, detailed maquettes of which were made by himself. On the Iranian Ministry of Fine Arts' request, the maquettes were sent to Brussels' 1958 Universal Exhibition, where Abolhassan Etessami was awarded the gold medal in the individual presentation category. The maquettes were later bought by the

National Museum of Iran The National Museum of Iran ( fa, موزهٔ ملی ایران ) is located in Tehran, Iran. It is an institution formed of two complexes; the Museum of Ancient Iran and the Museum of Islamic Archaeology and Art of Iran, which were opened in 1937 ...

, and included in the permanent collection of the Islamic arts division. In addition to architecture projects, Etessami left a series of oil on canvas paintings including ''Some ruins in Dowlat-Abad'', ''A village home in

Niavaran Niavaran ( fa, نياوران) is an affluent and upperclass district in the north of Tehran. Bordering leafy, uphill-winding Darband Street, it can be reached from Tajrish Square, and is close to Darabad at the far north-eastern corner of Gr ...

'', and ''Pasteur's intercession for Napoleon'', and some novels including ''The left alone man'' and ''The malicious Mohil-o-doleh''.

Gallery

Image:etessami_abolhassan_ruins.jpg, ''Some ruins in Dowlat-Abad'', circa 1925 Image:A village home in Niavaran.jpg, ''A village home in Niavaran'', circa 1930

Biography

Gallery

References

Further reading