About this Artwork

In the depths of the warm, flowing colors of this painting, the spirit of Hafez’s ghazals comes alive. A realm where love and mysticism, body and soul, are intricately intertwined , just as Hafez, in his immortal verses, blends the cup of wine with the cup of divine knowledge.
This work, inspired by the mysterious and enchanting world of Hafez’s poetry, is a visual embodiment of Iranian aesthetics. It celebrates a beauty in which the Iranian woman is not only a symbol of earthly love but also the manifestation of divine love and mystical passion. The rapidograph and marker lines, reminiscent of traditional Persian embroidery and miniature painting, flow across the oil-painted surface on oil paper. They narrate paradisiacal gardens, twisting vines, and the dance of fire and water elements that repeatedly appear as timeless metaphors in Hafez’s poetry.
The warm palette of orange, gold, and green evokes handwoven Persian carpets, turquoise and golden tilework, and Safavid and Qajar miniatures, yet speaks in a contemporary and liberated language. The women depicted, with their flowing hair and piercing eyes, draw inspiration simultaneously from Hafez and ancient Iranian myths. They represent the “Beloved” of Hafez , that true companion who, in the profound layers of his poetry, is both woman and a description of the Divine.
This painting is an invitation to contemplate Iran’s rich cultural heritage, where art, poetry, and mysticism have been woven together for centuries to immortalize beauty beyond time and place. Every line and every stroke of color whispers the following immortal verse by Hafez:
To whoever has a wounded heart and the pain of love’s sorrow,
In this festive gathering of the carefree, offer a cup of pure wine

Physical painting on oil paper
20*20 cm
Avideh Salmanpour