Kamal-ol-molk School Museum
Kamal-ol-molk School Museum
Professor Kamal-ol-molk founded the fine arts School in Negarestan garden in 1911, and despite the difficulties he faced, he recruited and trained students. Most of his students were highly advanced in the art and in the sequel, they kept the style and method of their master stable for half a century. "School of Kamal-ol-molk" is a term used to describe the works of Kamal-ol-molk's students and his followers. The collection of students of Master Kamal-ol-molk is more than 70 people, and more than 50 of them have reached the highest level of art.
Due to the proposed plan of the Kamal-ol-molk school museum and the selection of Negarestan Garden Museum due to the history of the Fine Arts School of Crafts in this place and with the efforts of the Tehran Municipality Beautification Organization, fortunately, some of the most important works of the outstanding students of the Kamal-ol-molk school were purchased, which of course, are unique to two generations of the followers of this school, most of which are the direct students of the master and the other part are the students of Kamal-ol-molk school (second generation).
Obviously, collecting such a collection required a considerable budget, but due to the good opinion of the family and relatives of these artists, it was made possible to purchase the works at the minimum possible price and being turned into the collection of the beautification organization. The support of the cultural vice-chancellor of the University of Tehran in this important event and by providing one of the mansions of Negarestan Garden to run and manage it, made it possible to establish the museum on July 15, 2013 in the best possible way.
Kamal-ol-molk School
Professor Mohammad Ghaffari, known as Kamal-ol-molk, is one of the brightest faces of Iranian art. The transformation that he brought about with his art created such an impact in the society that his character soon became a national legend in the culture of the people, and perhaps that is the reason why his name has been attached to many streets, schools or institutions in cities and towns today.
In 1911, Professor Kamal-ol-molk founded the Fine arts School in Negarestan Garden, and despite the difficulties he faced, he recruited and trained students. According to his personal passion, most of his students were highly advanced in art, and later on they kept the method of their teacher stable for half a century, and these same teachers, by teaching in universities and conservatories, became teachers of those who made the new art of Iran strategic in the following years. Rouyin Pakbaz describes the quality levels of this art genre in the book "art encyclopedia" and under the entry "School of Kamal-ol-molk".
"The school of Kamal-ol-molk is a term used to describe the works of Kamal-ol-molk's students and his followers. Ashtiani, Vaziri, Heydarian, Sheikh Yasami, Mahmoud Olya, Ali Akbar Najmabadi, Yahya Dolatshahi, Mohsen Soheili Sadiqi, Mohsen Moghaddam, Fathollah Ebadi, Reza Shahabi, Markar Qarabgilan, Samimi, Mostafa Najmi and several others are in this school. It is possible to add the names of Rassam Arzhangi and Mirmosavvar Arzhangi who were trained in Russia and taught in Tabriz, as well as Ali Asghar Petgar, Jafar Petgar and Hoshang Peymani to that list. But Ali Rokhsaz and Ali Akbar Sanati are somewhat different from this crowd.
Following Kamal-ol-molk, they were seekıng their desired perfection in the art of Raphael, Tissin, Rubens, and Rembrandt; but in practice, they were followıng the path of the 19th century European academic art. Therefore, a mixture of superficial classicism and obvious naturalism with a kind of quasi-romantic sentimentality can be seen in their work. Most of them were teaching in high schools, art schools, and private institutes, and they even started to publish painting and drawing manuals. In general, their "school" influenced the contemporary art of Iran for more than 70 years and still plays an important role in guiding the public art culture and taste.
Although the bias in following the principles and covenants of the European naturalism tradition is the common feature of all the followers of Kamal-ol-molk; they are not the same in terms of knowledge, technical ability, and choice of work style and topic. Almost all of these worked in single-face, still-life, and landscape subjects; and also, they have shown a desire for ethnography. But in the meantime, some features can also be recognized (for example: the delicacy of Vaziri's shading and lighting, the strength of the Sheikh's design, the free penmanship of the Olya, the diversity of Shahabi’s style, and the social sensitivity of Sanati and Peymani). It seems that Heidarian and Siddiqui's artistic awareness and understanding is deeper; maybe this privilege makes them go beyond the limits of this school at least in some of their works.
Students of master Kamal-ol-molk
The total number of the students of Master Kamal-ol-molk is more than 70 people, and more than 50 of them have reached the highest level of art. Fortunately, the beautification organization has so far succeeded in purchasing some of the most important works of the prominent students of the Kamal-ol-molk school that of course these works are exclusive to two generations of the followers of this school, the majority of which are the direct students of the master, and the other part is the students of the Kamal-ol-molk school (the second generation).
The names of the artists whose works are included in this collection are as follows: Abolhassan Sadiqi, Arshak, Eskander Mostaghni, Ismail Ashtiani, Jafar Petgar, Jamshid Amini, Hassan Ali Vaziri, Hossein Sheikh, Hossein Ali Moayyed Pardazi, Rassam Arzhangi, Reza Shahabi, Reza Samimi, Gholam Ali Seif Naseri, Shokat-ol-Moluk Shaghaqi, Sadroddin Shayeste Shirazi, Ali Asghar Petgar, Ali Rokhsaz, Ali Karimi, Ali Mahmoudi, Ali Ashraf Vali, Ali Akbar Sanati, Ali Akbar Najmabadi, Ali Akbar Yasemi, Abbas Katouzian, Ali Mohammad Heydarian, Effat-ol-Moluk Shaghaqi, Markar Qarabgian, Mohsen Soheili, Mohammad Ali Foroughi, Mahmoud Olya, Mostafa Najmi, Mehdi Taeb, Mehdi Sajjadi, Mirmosavvar Arzhangi, Misha (Mikael) Shahbazian, Naser Shahbazi, Hadi Tajvidi, Yahya Dolatshahi, Dostali Moiralmamalek and Houshang Peymani.
