Mehdi Vishkaei

Mehdi Vishkaei, one of Iran’s pioneering painters, was born in 1920 (1299 SH) in Rasht. In 1934 (1313 SH), he moved to Tehran with his family and studied at the Kamal-ol-Molk School of Art. He later graduated in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts. Like some of the modernist artists of his generation, he became inclined toward European—especially early 20th-century French—painting, and traveled to Europe several times to become acquainted with modernist art. His friendship with Manouchehr Yektai, which began during their university years, later played a significant role in shaping his distinctive approach to portraiture. Vishkaei held his first solo exhibition in 1949 (1328 SH) at the Iran–America Association. After Jalil Ziapour founded the Boys’ School of Fine Arts, Vishkaei assumed its directorship. Over the years of his artistic career, his works were exhibited numerous times both inside and outside Iran. Thick, patch-like paint application influenced by Post-Impressionism is a defining characteristic of Vishkaei’s work. His portraits and still lifes are executed with a wide range of colors and powerful brushstrokes. Mehdi Vishkaei passed away in 2006 (1385 SH).