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Persian miniature master laid to rest
Farshchian’s path to inspire successors, says Pezeshkian
His works ‘reflection of Iranian-Islamic identity’: Minister
The funeral ceremony of Mahmoud Farshchian, Iran’s master of Persian miniature painting who died August 9 at age 96, was held in Isfahan where thousands gathered to pay their final respects to the artist who bridged poetry and visual art.
The funeral procession for the celebrated painter began from Isfahan's Fine Arts School, the same institution where Farshchian took his first artistic steps as a young man.
President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a message at the funeral of Farshchian expressing hope that Farshchian’s distinguished school of art endures through the efforts of artists and cultural figures.
“The brilliant path opened by this unparalleled artist of Iran will find worthy successors and devoted students,” Pezeshkian said, offering condolences to the artist’s family, the nation’s artistic community, and all admirers of Iranian culture.
Farshchian's coffin was carried from the aircraft at Isfahan's Shahid Beheshti Airport amid tearful silence from students, fellow artists and admirers who had gathered since dawn.
Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Abbas Salehi, who met with artists and Farshchian's family at the Abbasi Hotel's Mirror Hall, called the painter "unique" and praised his lifelong dedication to creating lasting works.
"Master Farshchian possessed a special skill in transforming poetry into visual art," Salehi said, describing the artist's work as "a reflection of Iranian-Islamic identity."
The minister highlighted Isfahan's role as "Iran's art capital" and noted that Farshchian's development represented the city's historical and cultural capacity.
He thanked provincial officials and the municipality for their cooperation in bringing the artist's body back to his birthplace.
Former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who attended the gathering, recalled his multiple encounters with Farshchian in New York and Tehran. "Master Farshchian was a gem of Iranian and world art," Zarif said, adding that "his love for Iran and humanity flows through all his works."
Zarif recounted taking Farshchian's albums to Paris to gift French officials, allowing them to grasp "the greatness of Iranian art." He described the artist's presence in the art world as inspiring to all.
The funeral route will wind from the Fine Arts School toward the Saeb Tabrizi Mausoleum, where Farshchian will be laid to rest according to his wishes.
The burial site holds symbolic significance for many artists. Like the 17th-century poet Saeb Tabrizi, who captured the Iranian spirit through verse, Farshchian used brush and paint to portray the same cultural essence throughout his seven-decade career.
Farshchian died August 9 in a New Jersey hospital after falling into a coma. Born in Isfahan in 1930, he became internationally recognized for modernizing Persian miniature painting while preserving its traditional roots.