Hour 13:03 01 Sep 25

Two oil paintings by Hossein Hamedani and two pencil sketches by Hossein Qollar Aqasi are preserved in the Archive of Sahebqaranieh Palace Museum.Qahveh-Khaneh painting style is a form of Iranian narrative painting featuring themes of heroism, religion, and festivity. This art style reached its peak during late Qajar and early Pahlavi eras, coinciding with the Iranian Constitutional Movement.At the beginning of the 20th century, alongside the rise of the Constitutional Movement in Iran, the growth of public thought and the flourishing of freedom-seeking ideas revitalized this popular art form. Stories of heroic and religious struggles became a means of raising awareness and inspiring a spirit of resistance among the people. During this period, eulogists and storytellers in Hosseiniyeh, Tekyeh, and the increasingly popular coffeehouses (Qahve-Khaneh in Persian) of the capital (Tehran) and other cities played a significant role in preserving this awakening.The origins of this artistic movement in Iranian painting trace back to the ancient traditions of storytelling, Ta'zieh (Iranian passion plays), and narration, with a history predating the emergence of coffeehouses by centuries. The artistic worldview of this style is linked to a social engagement that, from its inception in Iranian society, has symbolized unity and social interaction among different classes, while drawing heavily on popular and humanistic elements.The contemporary founders of this artistic movement are two folk painters, Hossein Qollar Aqasi and Mohammad Modabber, while Hossein Hamedani is recognized as one of the leading figures of Qahveh-Khaneh painting.
Master Hossein Dastkhosh Hamedani (1926–2005):Two oil paintings on canvas by Master Hossein Hamedani measuring 76×111 cm and 142×222 cm depict the Quranic story from verses 30-32 of Surah Yusof: "Zuleikha’s invitation to the women of Egypt to see Yusuf and their amazement at his beauty, and the cutting of their hands." These works, dated 1956, are preserved in Sahebqaranieh Palace Museum Archive.Hossein Hamedani, was born in 1926 in Hamedan. At 23, he studied painting under supervision of Bolukifar in Mashhad and collaborated with him on paintings related to dervishes and Ta'zieh performances.Later, in Tehran, he apprenticed with known painters such as Hossein Qollar Aqasi and Mohammad Modabber and it made him become a distinguished painter by age 30. During his stay in Mashhad, Hossein completed commissions depicting battles such as the Battle of Khaybar, the Battle of Chaldoran, and Yousef and Zuleikha Gathering.A collection of Hossein Hamedani’s Qahveh-Khaneh paintings was published in Hamedan under the title "Qalandar-e Naghash" (“The wandering dervish Painter”). This book, compiled by researcher Karim Zarei, chronicles the evolution of Qahveh-Khaneh painting with a focus on Hamedani’s biography and works.Besides Qahveh-Khaneh painting, he created numerous works on epic and religious themes, including dervish paintings, and is regarded as a prominent master in this field.Approximately 700 of his precious works remain, about 300 of which are held in France, England, the USA, and Turkey. The rest are preserved in Iranian museums such as Astan Qods Razavi, Reza Abbasi Museum, and Niavaran and Saadabad Cultural Heritage Complexes.Hossein Qollar Aqasi (Aghasi) (1890–1966):Two pencil sketches by Hossein Qollar Aqasi, measuring 43×53.5 cm and 43×55 cm, dated 1962, are kept in the Sahebqaranieh Palace Museum Archive.Hossein Qollar Aqasi, alongside Mohammad Modabber, is one of the founders of Qahveh Khaneh painting. His works draw on national and religious epics such as Layli and Majnun, Yusof and Zuleikha, Bahram Gur, and popular heroic narratives. He created unique works using oil paints, blending reality with imagination.Hossein was the son of Alireza Qollar Aqasi, a tile and pen case painter from the Qajar era. One of his father’s famous works is the painting of “The Seven Labors of Rostam” above the gate of Kari

m Khan Citadel in Shiraz. Alireza Qollar Aqasi also ran a tile workshop in Bab Homayoun, Tehran (Almasieh Street).The title “Qollar Aqasi” is a Turkish term meaning “Commander of the Slave Army,” a court rank in the Iranian royal court. Notable historical figures with this title include Rostam Khan Qollar Aqasi, a Georgian governor during Safavid era, Amir Bahador, Minister of War under Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, and Hossein Qollar Aqasi himself.Qollar Aqasi’s first painting was commissioned by Mashhadi Safar Eskandarian, depicting stories from Shahnameh and the tragedy of Karbala. He endured a harsh and difficult life, ultimately passing away in poverty and solitude in 1966 and was buried in Mesgarabad Cemetery, Tehran.
Compiled by: Maryam ShahHosseini