Abbas Akhavein

Abbas Akhavin, a prominent contemporary calligrapher and one of the revivalists of the Mir Emad style, was born in 1937 in Mashhad. His interest in calligraphy emerged in childhood, and during his school years he diligently practiced handwriting with great dedication. After his family migrated to Tehran, he pursued a degree in Chemistry at the University of Tehran. He initially practiced Nastaliq calligraphy as a self-taught artist and later studied under Master Ali Agha Hosseini, a disciple of Emad al-Kottab, where he acquired the fundamental principles of the art. Inspired by the works of great masters, particularly Mir Emad Hassani, Akhavin gradually developed his own distinctive style. From the early 1950s, he began his professional career and gained recognition as a calligrapher working with the Kayhan newspaper. In 1980, he was awarded the highest master’s degree in calligraphy by the Iranian Calligraphers Association. After the Islamic Revolution, he played an active role in the association, serving on its Supreme Council and evaluation committees. In 1992, Akhavin founded the “Iran Center for Calligraphy and Education,” through which he trained numerous students. His major artistic works include One Lifetime of Nastaliq, Bahre Eshgh Album (Marqad), and his handwritten edition of the Divan of Hafez, all regarded as significant contributions to Iranian calligraphy.