TEHRAN No doubt, Kamal-ol-Molk is regarded as one of the most outstanding artists in the history of painting, because of the status and importance which Kamal-ol-Molk enjoys in the artistic history of Iran and the role which that late artist has played in the art of painting with the miraculous strokes of his amazing brush as well as from his magnificent works which from the point of view of expertise and command compares favorably with the best painters of the world.

Besides, as of now, he is considered to be among the most distinguished artistic phenomenon of the present century and is a source of pride and honor for Iran. This master is himself the best claimant to this title. Kamal-ol-Molk's fame (of his works) has crossed the frontiers of this country and added to the greatness and glory of the culture and arts society of this nation.

Every painting of his speaks of a thousand volumes; and in this regard, and from the viewpoint of value and artistic credit, this alone would be worthy of consideration and analysis. The rise of Kamal-ol-Molk in the artistic circles, caused a new renaissance in the ideals and techniques of painting to be born, and opened a new chapter in the fine arts category in Iran. Among the specialities of Kamal-ol-Molk, we can name the doing away with traditions and the initiation of a new style and method which he would use against the very elements which compose a painting; the power of his imagination which captured the moments in all their unknown, and above all these was the use of a new style of painting and in the patenting of realism and of a style which does away with paintbrush and color at a time when few dared or had the courage to try it let alone to patent it.

Courageously, Kamal-ol-Molk placed his sensitive social and political prestige on the stakes of realism, and the placement of this style is the source of the changes and thinkings in the trend of the arts and politics of that time. The conducive family environment and the love of the arts of those of his friends and relatives were instrumental in the development and growth of the artistic talent of Kamal-ol-Molk, because the Ghaffari-Kashani family, in the last two decades, had handed down several artists to the artistic world of Iran - each of whom is a well-known personality in the history of the arts among whom we can name Mirza Abolhasan Khan Ghaffari better known as Sanie-ol-Molk, the uncle of Kamal-ol-Molk, Mirza Abu Torab Ghaffari, the brother of Kamal-ol-Molk and his father Aqa Mirzabozorg Ghaffari Kashani to have been most influential in his development.

But the most renowned artist of this family was Kamal-ol-Molk who as a result of his essential genius and creativity and the miraculous power of his brush, attained such a popularity and fame more than that of the other members in his family; and consequently, his works received greater attention than theirs. In addition to his education and artistic portrayals, he would make the proud Qajar king to sit down for hours and teach him how to paint.

Naseraddin Shah, in order to add glamor to his court and also to attract and to involve this artist more and more in his government as well as to use his resourceful talents and services conferred on him the title of Naqqashbashi or Master of Painters on Kamal-ol-Molk; and later bestowed on him the rank of a brigadier in charge of a mounted battalion in the province of Qazvin. So this period became the most fruitful period of the artistic life of Kamal-ol-Molk during which he painted more than a hundred and seventy canvasses.

About two or three months after the assassination of Naseraddin Shah, and upon witnessing the miserable internal situation of the country, the prevalence of anarchy and rampant corruption as well as foreign and local conspiracies caused him to take advantage of this opportunity and on the outward excuse of completion of his artistic education - while in his heart he wanted to free himself from the shackles which bound him to the ruling monarchy - he fled to Europe. This visit, which lasted for five years, enabled Kamal-ol-Molk to get acquainted with a new world of art and to see a vast new world open before him.

The museums of Europe, which owned innumerable masterpieces, created an indescribable world before his enthusiastic eyes and increased the breadth of his artistic talents in almost every direction. On this visit, Kamal-ol-Molk, with great attention and detail would take notes from the works of the great painters of Europe. Copies of works which he created in the museums of Europe such as the Louvre of Paris of the works of Rembrandt and other masters are no different from the originals except that the colors which he used are far more vivid and mature than the originals! Although, today not all his valuable works are available in order to be able to chart and research the process of his ideas in the proper light; and with only a few of his paintings in various parts of the country and abroad, such an evaluation would not be feasible.

Kamal-ol-Molk continued to pass his days in Europe in this fashion until the time when Mozaffaraddin Shah on his second visit to Europe arranged a meeting with him. In this meeting, Mozaffaraddin Shah requested him to return to Iran, and Kamal-ol-Molk with the hope of seeing fundamental changes and transformations in his country and in order to be able to use his ideas and thoughts as well as to develop his newly acquired artistic experience in Europe for bringing about basic changes in the structure of society, decided to return to his country.

But when he came face-to-face with the government officials and administrators, he was shocked to see the same monarchial courts from whose corruption and dirty influence he had run away some years ago. He was left with no alternative but to bear with the hardships for one or two more years, when later on the pretext of performing pilgrimage of the holy shrines, whereas actually it was to free himself from the clutches of the rulers, he leaves for Iraq where he stays for nearly two more years.

It is important to note here that his emigration to Iraq and his residing in the vicinity of the holy shrines was in keeping with the righteous beliefs of Kamal-ol-Molk and shows him to be a person with a definite mission and purpose in life. The portrayal which specifically depicts the social conditions, and the images of poverty and misery of the masses are reflected in his canvasses.

Among his famous and memorable works during his stay in Iraq are The Sleeping Arab and The Battlefield of Karbala which is a living testimony of the outstanding artistic accomplishment and mass-appeal of this eminent artist. Kamal-ol-Molk, with the objective of lending his support and cooperation to the constitutionalists, as well as to take part in the struggle against the dictatorial regime returned to Iran and joined forces with the constitutionalists who were opposed to the monarchy.

Within the framework of his objective he would endeavor and attempt to strengthen and teach the art of painting and pursued his activities relentlessly until the foundations of the school for educating those who were interested in the fine arts was firmly laid, and a concerted and productive movement for the strengthening of the field of art and the right environment for the development of artists had begun.

Thus, with the untiring efforts and encouragement of Kamal-ol-Molk, The School of Fine Arts was established - and Kamal-ol-Molk undertook to teach this easily understood language of popular imagery to his pupils and in this manner took an important step for the advancement and honor of the history of Iranian art. Kamal-ol-Molk had a humble disposition coupled with dignity and etiquette, as well as a special elegance.

He was kind and loving too. His characteristic features and attitudes which have been recounted in the memoirs and writings of his friends, colleagues and students reveal his lofty behavioral and social values. He was tall, with a high forehead which was resplendent with white hair; while in his voice there was an excited echo and energy which commanded the respect of those around him.

From the sum of his behavior, one could witness a commanding and noble personage. He had a beautiful handwriting and was fluent in French. He loved the arts and literature, so that the famous works of the great Iranian poet Hafez was never out of his reach. While working, he would murmur in a melodious voice, the verses from the poems of Hafez. He was generous and open-hearted.

He would give all his salary from the school where he taught to the needy students. The door of his house was open to all, while he was infinitely fond of his friends and would listen to their and their family's woes with great concern and attend to them personally. Besides, he would humbly and sincerely state : To the extent that I taught my students, I have learned from them.

With the changes in the political situation and the events which lead to the coup d'etat of 1920 after which the Pahlavi dynasty came into power, Kamal-ol-Molk, being aware of the fact that there was no major difference between the courts of the Pahlavis and the corrupt Qajars; and with the coming into power of the so-called founder of the new Iran, did not see this to be the real road to deliverance for the country, and consequently, it was not surprising that he withheld any sort of cooperation and in any form with the Pahlavi regime.

Needless to say, whenever Reza Khan would confront Kamal-ol-Molk, he would make a great effort to convince him to join the royal court, but the great spirit of Kamal-ol-Molk was uncompromising. After Reza Khan saw that he could not win the agreement of Kamal-ol-Molk, he resorted to severance of his salary and expenses of his school and thereafter, would create problems in its administrative affairs and finally in the year 1927, he forced Kamal-ol-Molk to resign.

After this incident, in the year 1928, Kamal-ol-Molk was exiled to Neishabour where he resided in the Hosseinabad locality until his death. He passed his precious life in the service of the revival of the true Iranian values for which he would endeavored consistently in order to achieve international recognition and splendor for art in this country. And with the amount of toil and sorrow that was hidden in his heart as a result of his painful separation and being forced to live in exile in Neishabour, solely for the crime' of freedom and the demand for independence and dignity of the country - he was indeed, a broken man.

From among the most important events of that sorrowful period was his blindness in one eye. Due to various reasons, including the big differences in the accounts of that incident and the reliability of the reports, investigations became difficult and the truth of the blindness of the eye of Kamal-ol-Molk remained a mystery - although we can safely assume that the enemies and agents of the disgraceful Pahlavi regime were involved in this incident.

However, what is important is that there are no accounts on the life of Kamal-ol-Molk anywhere between the years 1928 - the time of his forced exile to Neishabour - till 1940 when he died. More surprising and noteworthy is why Kamal-ol-Molk did not paint with his other healthy eye during this period. This causes one to think as to what necessitated the master to stop to paint and to consider it to be more important for him, that after a life of artistic work and gaining mastery and experience and at the peak of his creativity and ingenuity, to deprive the adoring and eager lovers of the art of painting of the splendor and so much beauty of his paintbrush.

He, who had brought so much glory for this country and its people from the masterful strokes of his paintbrush, was unable to gain anymore than what the other righteous and virtuous artists have achieved at the end of their eventful careers. Just as during the last years of his life he refused to sell his artistic and spiritual capital which consisted of a few paintings even to sustain himself, he had refused to compromise his lofty ideals - which is why this genius has lived in our memory to this day, and will live till eternity.

- Sources: Sepid & Siah magazine, A Short Biography of Kamal-ol-Molk written by Mohammad Golbon, Memories of Master Mirza Esmail Ashteyani (One of the students of Kamal-ol-Molk)