TEHRAN -- Art expert Nematollah Keikavusi has verified the authenticity of an untitled work by Kamalolmolk, a court painter during the reign of Qajar king Nasser ad-Din Shah, which sold for 5 billion rials (over $151,000) at the 4th Tehran Auction on May 29.

Reports recently published by some Persian news questioned the genuineness of the 105-year-old work.

“An expert team composed of Hadi Seif, Mahmud Eftekhari, and I… certified the painting and other works from a collection by classical Iranian artists for the auction,” Keikavusi said in a press release published by the Tehran Auction on Tuesday.

“The work was offered at the auction after our team was certain that it is authentic, so it is sad that people with no knowledge and evidence call the artwork fake,” he added.

The Kamalolmolk’s portrait of Dust-Mohammad Khan Moayyer ul-Mamalek, Nasser ad-Din Shah’s son-in-law, was offered by one of the grandchildren of Moayyer ul-Mamalek, Keikavusi stated.

He said that some minor restoration on the painting may have caused people to cast doubt on the authenticity of artwork.

“Such restorations are carried out every day on the artworks being kept at the museums of the cultural and historical complexes of Sadabad and Golestan in Tehran, and the painting has been restored by a team of skilled professional artists,” he added.

A sale of a collection of works by classical Iranian artists was held on the sidelines of the Tehran Auction for the first time.

Photo: Tehran Auction employees hold Kamalolmolk’s portrait of Moayyer ul-Mamalek as auctioneer Hossein Pakdel conducts a sales session of Iranian classical artworks at the Parsian Azadi Hotel on May 29, 2015.

MMS/YAW
END