Two new miniature paintings by world-renowned Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian have been unveiled in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Sham-e Ghariban (The Night of the Oppressed) and The Fourth Heaven were unveiled during a ceremony held at Farshchian Museum of Sa'dabadCultural and Historical Complex.
The ceremony was attended by a number of senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and head of Irans Cultural Heritage, Handicraftand Tourism OrganizationMasoud Soltanifar.
Farshchians works have always been the most significant gifts Ive ever offered to ministers and ambassadors of other countries, Zarif said during the unveiling ceremony.
He added that no other work can express the prominence, spirituality and humane nature of Iranian art better than Farshchians creations.
Farshchian is known as Iran's master of miniatures, whose works have been displayed in numerous galleries and museums around the world such as the British Library, Freer Gallery of Art, Bibliotheque Nationale, Metropolitan Museum and Harvard University.
The 85-year-old artist was chosen as an outstanding 21st century intellectual by Cambridge and has received an honorary doctorate in Iranian painting and Islamic arts from the High Council of Culture and Art.
He has won numerous national and international awards, including the gold statuette of Italys Vessillo Europa Delle Arte in 1984 and the gold medal of Belgiums 1958 International Art Festival.
Irans Cultural Heritage Foundation established the Museum of Master Mahmoud Farshchian, devoted to the works of the veteran artist, at Tehrans Sa'dabad Cultural and Historical Complex in 2001.