Sohrab Sepehri (Iranian, 1928-1980)

One of Iran's most prominent contemporary artists and poets, Sohrab Sepehri is considered a pioneer in introducing Japanese-style painting to Iran. Born in Kashan, a city situated at the very edge of the country's central desert, he moved to the Iranian capital at age twenty in order to study at Tehran's Fine Arts College.

A constant traveler, Sepehri lived in France, Italy and Japan, before finally re-settling in his homeland where he dedicated himself and his life to the arts. His artistic style was principally influenced by his time in Tokyo in the 1960s, where he mastered the techniques of lithography and wood engraving. Inspired by the Far Eastern traditional arts, particularly haikus, Sohrab Sepehri painted dreamy images resembling calligraphy that are simultaneously reminiscent of both the misty landscapes of Japanese hand-painted scrolls and Persian literary sources, therefore fusing his myriad inspirations.

Christie's is proud to present one of Sepehri's timeless and skilful works. Elegant and understated, this semi-abstract painting is the very quintessence of Sepehri's classic style, as well as the Zen philosophy that heavily inspired the artist during his time in Japan, where he studied under the Masters Sesshu Toyo and Hakuin Ekaku. Deprived of superfluous details, the painting is delicately textured and expertly balanced in its composition. As such, the soft brushstrokes and delicate palette of colours exude minimalism. The geometric blue shades, painted in minimalist abstract expressionism, add a tranquil and dreamlike element to the work while the consistent earthy tones, alongside the briskly painted black lines reveal his undeniable Japanese influences, as much as his perpetual love for Persian calligraphy.