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Lot Essay
The present work, a series of three intimate and intricate bronze carved sculptures, epitomise Parviz Tanavoli's exploration of the Saqqakhaneh style and philosophy. Executed in the early 1970s at a time when Tanavoli was working on his iconic sculpture and signature piece Oh Persepolis (which broke records at Christie's in 2008, price realised: $2,841,000), these three tablets were part of a side production conveying the same aesthetic meaning as his larger sculpture, equally inviting the viewer on a journey back to the triumphant civilisation of Ancient Persia. These alongside the larger sculpture were part of the celebrated solo exhibition dedicated to the artist at the Iran-American Society in the early 1970s.
Tanavoli, a founding member of the acclaimed Saqqakhaneh school, in fact draws inspiration from his motherland's history and folk culture and through his works, reminiscent of the majestic bas-reliefs that were part of Persepolis' archeological treasures. The neo-traditionalist Saqqakhaneh movement emerged in the 1960s and counted among its proponents a number of leading Iranian Modern artists including Faramaz Pilaram and Mansour Ghandriz. Their inspiration derived from Persian culture crystallised in myths, legends, epic poems, archeological vestiges and ancient iron and bronze pieces. They created a distinct Iranian visual language with elements that were typically Persian, yet they acknowledged the evolution up to Modern times and aimed to fuse past and present.
These tablets are carved with invented pictographic elements on a coarse surface, referencing the cuneiform inscriptions that were to be found on the acclaimed Darius Cylinder and on the sculpted figures of the Immortals, discovered on the staircases of the Apadana Palace within Persepolis' ruins. Like a tale that leaves free space of interpretation to its reader, the story that Tanavoli recites through these small tablets is that of a glorious past and a Golden Age, with a reference to the contemporary nostalgia that remains.
Elegant and delightful, the present work is part of Tanavoli's famous Wall; it alludes to Persian mysticism, to the Poet whom the artist sees as a devoted Sufi and most importantly, to notions of love, freedom and glory. Similar to a humble miniature wall, the present work is an intimate gem from the artist's visionary aesthetics and the most sought-after years of his production.
Further works from the Wall series can be found in important collections including the Museum of Modern Art, Vienna; the Ludwig Museum, Aachen, the Grey Art Gallery in New York and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.
Tanavoli, a founding member of the acclaimed Saqqakhaneh school, in fact draws inspiration from his motherland's history and folk culture and through his works, reminiscent of the majestic bas-reliefs that were part of Persepolis' archeological treasures. The neo-traditionalist Saqqakhaneh movement emerged in the 1960s and counted among its proponents a number of leading Iranian Modern artists including Faramaz Pilaram and Mansour Ghandriz. Their inspiration derived from Persian culture crystallised in myths, legends, epic poems, archeological vestiges and ancient iron and bronze pieces. They created a distinct Iranian visual language with elements that were typically Persian, yet they acknowledged the evolution up to Modern times and aimed to fuse past and present.
These tablets are carved with invented pictographic elements on a coarse surface, referencing the cuneiform inscriptions that were to be found on the acclaimed Darius Cylinder and on the sculpted figures of the Immortals, discovered on the staircases of the Apadana Palace within Persepolis' ruins. Like a tale that leaves free space of interpretation to its reader, the story that Tanavoli recites through these small tablets is that of a glorious past and a Golden Age, with a reference to the contemporary nostalgia that remains.
Elegant and delightful, the present work is part of Tanavoli's famous Wall; it alludes to Persian mysticism, to the Poet whom the artist sees as a devoted Sufi and most importantly, to notions of love, freedom and glory. Similar to a humble miniature wall, the present work is an intimate gem from the artist's visionary aesthetics and the most sought-after years of his production.
Further works from the Wall series can be found in important collections including the Museum of Modern Art, Vienna; the Ludwig Museum, Aachen, the Grey Art Gallery in New York and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.