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Nasser OvissiNasser Ovissi 'Iranian, Born 1934' "King Cyrus The Great" Oil on Canvas Painting
$42,000

About
Nasser Ovissi, 'Iranian, Born 1934' "Cyrus The Great" Oil on Canvas Painting.
Very fine quality painting by Persian Artist Nasser Ovissi who is considered to be known as the "Picasso of Iran".
A true modern Iranian masterpiece depicting "King Cyrus The Great" dressed in purple linen garments, with a green turban, in a vibrant orange background.
Oil on canvas, framed.
Signed.
Canvas Size: 29" high x 39" wide
Frame Size: 49" high x 39" wide
Cyrus II of Persia commonly known as Cyrus the Great and also called Cyrus the Elder by the Greeks, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Western Asia and much of Central Asia. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. Under his successors, the empire eventually stretched at its maximum extent from parts of the Balkans and Eastern Europe proper in the west, to the Indus Valley in the east. His regal titles in full were The Great King, King of Persia, King of Anshan, King of Media, King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, and King of the Four Corners of the World. The Nabonidus Chronicle notes the change in his title from simply "King of Anshan," a city, to "King of Persia." Assyriologist François Vallat wrote that "When Astyages marched against Cyrus, Cyrus is called 'King of Anshan," but when Cyrus crosses the Tigris on his way to Lydia, he is 'King of Persia.' The coup therefore took place between these two events.
The reign of Cyrus the Great lasted c. 30 years. Cyrus built his empire by first conquering the Median Empire, then the Lydian Empire, and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He led an expedition into Central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that were described as having brought "into subjection every nation without exception." Cyrus did not venture into Egypt, and was alleged to have died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC.[He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II, who managed to conquer Egypt, Nubia, and Cyrenaica during his short rule.
Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. This became a very successful model for centralized administration and establishing a government working to the advantage and profit of its subjects. In fact, the administration of the empire through satraps and the vital principle of forming a government at Pasargadae were the works of Cyrus. What is sometimes referred to as the Edict of Restoration (actually two edicts) described in the Bible as being made by Cyrus the Great left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion. According to Isaiah 45:1 of the Hebrew Bible, God anointed Cyrus for this task, even referring to him as a messiah (lit. 'anointed one') and he is the only non-Jewish figure in the Bible to be called so.
Cyrus the Great is also well recognized for his achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy, as well as his influence on both Eastern and Western civilizations. Having originated from Persis, roughly corresponding to the modern Iranian province of Fars, Cyrus has played a crucial role in defining the national identity of modern Iran.The Achaemenid influence in the ancient world eventually would extend as far as Athens, where upper-class Athenians adopted aspects of the culture of the ruling class of Achaemenid Persia as their own.
Cyrus is a cult figure amongst modern Iranians, with his tomb serving as a spot of reverence for millions of people. In the 1970s, the last Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi identified his famous proclamation inscribed onto the Cyrus Cylinder as the oldest known declaration of human rights,and the Cylinder has since been popularized as such. This view has been criticized by some historians as a misunderstanding of the Cylinder's generic nature as a traditional statement that new monarchs make at the beginning of their reign.
Artist information:
Nasser Ovissi is an American-Iranian painter whose work is characterized by stylized figures of Arabic women and horses. Set amidst geometric patterns and decorative elements, his figures seem to merge into and out of the space behind them. “My work is dedicated to the beauty of life and I hope those who experience my work will walk away with an experience of beauty.” Born in Tehran, Iran in 1934, Ovissi studied Law and Political Sciences at the University of Tehran before studying Fine art at Beaux Fine Art in Rome. The artist has achieved numerous awards and honors, including being exhibited at the 1959 Paris Biennial and a grand prize at the 1962 Biennale of fine arts of Tehran. Ovissi lives and works in Reston, VA. His works are included in the collections of the Contemporary Art Museum in Madrid and the National Art Gallery of Greece in Athens.
Artist Exhibitions:
1957 Tehran, First Prize
1959 Paris Biennial
1960 Tehran, Exhibition in Farhang Hall, during the International Congress of Music
1961 Exhibition in Bombay, India
New Delhi, International Exhibition of Contemporary Art
Tehran, Iran, First Prise in Drawing Competition
1962 Tehran Biennial (Abyaz Palace), Grand Prize of the Biennial
Venice, Italy Biennial
1963 Paris, Museum of Modern Art; Exhibition of Iranian Painters
Sao Paulo Biennial, Brazil
1964 Tehran Biennial, Grand Prize
1965 Rome, National Museum of Oriental Art
1966 Milan, San Fedele Gallery
1968 Rome: Gallery 88
Florence, International Biennial of Graphic Arts
New York, Columbia University, Modern Iranian Art
Italy, Gold Medal at the Campione International Salon
1969 Zurich, Huber Gallery
1970 Ankara, Fine Arts Gallery
1971 Rome, Temple University
Athens, Fine Arts Salon
New York, Columbia University
Washington, Agra Gallery
1972 Paris, Autumn Salon, Grand Palais
Paris, Guiot Gallery
Ottawa, National Art Center
Ottawa, University of Ottawa
Baltimore, John Hopkins Gallery
Brussels, Palace of Fine Arts
1973 Belgrade, Museum of Modern Art
Monaco, International Art Exhibition (Grand Prize)
1976 Basel, Feriart
1977 Madrid, Bruaugut Gallery
1978 Valence, Artis Gallery
1978 Madrid, Contemporary Art Museum
1979 Caracas, Guipuzcoa Gallery
1981 Washington, D.C., Calvert Collection
1982 Dallas, International Art Exhibition
1983 Houston, Texas, Galeria Arte
1984 Pasadena, Pacific Asia Museum
Washington, D.C., Calvert Collection
Washington, D.C., World Bank
New York, Leila Taghinia-Milani Gallery
1985 Paris (France), Mille et Une Nuits
New York: Taghinia-Milani Gallery
Washington, D.C., Calvert Collection
1986 New York, Mussavi Art Center
Washington D.C., Fine Arts Gallery, Georgetown Park
Vancouver (Canada), The Art Circle
Visalia (California), The Art Circle
1987 New York, Art Expo
Cadiz (Spain), Sato Grande
Fairfax (Virginia), Broadway Gallery
1988 Los Angeles, Galeria Arte
Washington, D.C., Fine Arts Gallery, Georgetown Park
McLean (Virginia), Abott Gallery
Geneva (Switzerland), Bronz Gallery
1989 New York, Mussavi Art Center
San Francisco, Hourian Art Gallery
1990 Montreal (Canada), Maison d'Art Saint Laurent
Maui (Hawaii), Metropolitan Art Gallery
1991 Montreal (Canada), Maison d'Art Saint Laurent
Austin (Texas), University of Texas Art Gallery
New York, Elaine Benson Gallery
Maui (Hawaii), Metropolitan Gallery
Boca Raton (Florida), Curzon Gallery
1992 Maui (Hawaii), Metropolitan Gallery
New York, Space Gallery
McLean (Virginia), Tower Club
Los Angeles, Beverly Hills Town Center
1993 Cambridge (Massachusetts), Harvard University
Maui (Hawaii), Metropolitan Gallery
Boca Raton (Florida), Curzon Gallery
Washington, DC, Very Special Art Gallery
1994 Tokyo (Japan), Metropolitan Gallery
Maui (Hawaii), Metropolitan Gallery
Osaka (Japan), Metropolitan Gallery
Detriot (Michigan), Michigan University
Montreux (Canada), Aurom Gallery
Boca Raton (Florida), Curzon Gallery
1995 Washington, DC, Designer Art Gallery
1996 Great Exhibition at Art Festival, Kuwait
1997 Montreal (Canada), Maison d'Art Saint Laurent
Tokyo (Japan), Metropolitan Gallery
Maui (Hawaii), Metropolitan Gallery
Osaka (Japan), Metropolitan Gallery
1998 Fez (Morocco), Sufi Music Festival
Los Angeles (California), Exhibition Art Centre
Hawaii, Dole Gallery
1999 London (U.K.), Bourlet Gallery
Montreux (Switzerland), The Oriental Palace
Cyprus, Hilton Hotel Nicosia
2000 Sacramento (California), Sacramento State Library
San Bernardo (California), San Bernardo Art Museum
Bilbao (Spain), Galeria Uranga
2001 Amman (Jordan), National Gallery of Art
Napel (Florida), Visiting Artist Gallery
Nice (France), Original Art Gallery
2002 New York, Nour Foundation
Washington DC, Embassy of Spain
Los Angeles (California)- Persian Cultural Center
Sacramento (California)- Public Library
Los Angeles (California)- Mimi Gallery
2003 Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Cultural Center (UAE)
Dubai, Private Gallery, (UAE), Arta Foundati
2004 Nour Foundation, New York:
2005 Arta Gallery, Toronto Hourian Gallery, San Francisco
2006 Iranian Doctors
Association, San Diego Iranian Cultural Association, Chicago Iranian Cultural Association, New Jersey
2007 Nour Foundation, New York
Awards:
1957- First Prize in Painting Exhibition in Tehran, Iran
1961- First Prize in Drawing Competition in Tehran, Iran
1962- Grand Prize in the Biennale of Fine Arts of Tehran, Iran
1964- Fourth Prize, Biennale of Tehran
1968- Gold Medal, International Exhibitionof Campione, Italy
1974- Grand Prize, Monaco Contemporary Art Exhibition, France
Collections:
In Italy, France, England, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, India, Sweden, Canada, Spain, United States of America and Iran
New York Univeristy Art Collection, Abby Grey Collection, New York
National Art Gallery of Athens, Greece
Collection of Farah Pahlavi
Fine Arts Museum of North Carolina
Art Museum of Campione, Italy
Contemporary Art Museum, Madrid, Spain
Contemporary Art Museum, Tehran
Contemporary Art Museum, Kerman, Iran
National Library Art Collection, Madrid, Spain
Contemporary Art Museum, Tehran, Iran
Contemporary Art Museum, Rome, Italy.
Details
- CreatorNasser Ovissi (1934)
- DimensionsHeight: 49 in. (124.46 cm)Width: 39 in. (99.06 cm)
- Medium
- Period
- Condition
- Gallery LocationNew York, NY
- Reference Number1stDibs: LU115126486422
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