The Bridge between Popular and Elite Iran: Mahmoud Farshchian’s Painting Azra Ghandeharion Ferdowsi University of Mashhad ghandeharioon@um.ac.ir This study tries to investigate the reasons behind the popularity of Mahmoud Farshchian’s (1930-) Persian Miniature Painting (Negargari). As the founder of Farschian School in Negargari and the winner of national and international prizes, he is a canonical figure in current Persian art. His paintings are broadly narrated by different generations, political fractions, and religions in pre and post-revolution Iran. They are borrowing from long-lasting narratives in Persian classic literature like Hafiz’s love poetry, Rumi’s mysticism and Ferdowsi’s epic. To attract vaster audience, Farshchian is relying on both pre-Islamic and Koranic narratives. The story of King Solomon, Josef, Moses, Abraham, and archetypal images such as Savior as well as the passion of Muslim saints are portrayed in his paintings. He is also the focus of media because of membership in the committee supervising the construction of Shiite’s holy shrines, his artistic donations and designing the Islamic tombs (zarih). More than ‘syncretism’, the mutual accommodation of Persian and Muslim tradition, his work is serving as a bridge between the Western surrealist painting of 20th century, Chines painting, and Persian illumination of Medieval Iran; thus, they attract the attention of traditionalist and Modernist audience. The fluidity of picture-frame, dynamicity of colors, and his devotion to Persian Eslimi, spiral and curvature lines, amalgamates the classic and the modernist elements. Keywords: Mahmoud Farshchian, Persian Miniature, Negargari, Eslimi

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