TEHRAN -- The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has acquired one of works of the Iranian modern miniaturist Farah Osuli.
The work was owned by Taymour Grahne, a New York-based collector who has studied at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Osuli told the Persian service of ISNA on Wednesday.
The two-panel work, which measures 150x76 centimeters, is from the Burning Wings series.
“Some time ago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art applied for buying one of my outstanding works, but due to the global sanctions against Iran, the deal was not possible,” Osuli said.
“Taymour Grahne, who had previously acquired one of my works from the Burning Wings series, decided to offer the work to the museum,” she added.
“He believed that it is cruel to deprive an artist of this opportunity. Therefore, he sold painting to the museum despite his deep interest in the work,” she stated.
Osuli expressed thanks to Grahne and said, “This incident is undoubtedly a great opportunity for every artist and I never would have received it if Grahne had not intervened.”
Osuli’s “Family Paradise” from the Burning Wings series was priced for €26,632 at Christie’s in Dubai in 2009.
Painted in 2008, in the Burning Wings series Osuli explores aspects of the unfortunate situation of women and questions of identity.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has previously bought works by Parviz Tanavoli, Monir Farmanfarmaian, and several other contemporary Iranian artists.
A large number of historical Iranian artworks are also on display in various sections of the museum.
MMS/YAW
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