Hussein Altafi
1906/1907 to 1979/1980
Master Hussein Altafi was one of the distinguished artists of Iran’s traditional arts. Over a career spanning more than half a century, he produced numerous valuable works that enriched Iranian art.
Hussein Altafi was born in Tehran in 1285 SH, corresponding to 1906/1907. From childhood, he possessed a natural sensitivity and a deep appreciation of beauty. This instinct drew him toward observing nature and contemplating divine creation. His interest in painting gradually intensified, and he longed to study at the school of Master Kamal ol Molk.
Because Kamal ol Molk knew the Altafi family and maintained a friendship with them, he repeatedly asked Hussein’s father to allow his talented son to study painting at the Kamal ol Molk School. His father consistently refused, however, because he regarded painting as contrary to religious teachings. Despite this opposition, Hussein Altafi never abandoned drawing or artistic practice and frequently spent his classroom hours sketching figures and decorative compositions.
Eventually, the school principal, who recognized Hussein’s enthusiasm and talent, intervened on his behalf. His father then permitted him to choose his own path. After completing his elementary education, Altafi formally entered the world of Persian miniature painting at the age of fifteen. At the beginning of his career, he studied painting for three months under Master Hussein Behzad.
From that point onward, painting became the center of his life. He immersed himself in the world of color and composition and developed a profound understanding of the styles practiced by the great masters of Iranian miniature painting.
This sustained study gradually brought maturity, originality, and a distinctive strength to Altafi’s work. He continued his education at the Higher School of Iranian Arts, also known as the School of Traditional Industries, where he studied under eminent masters, including Hadi Khan Tajvidi and Kamal ol Molk. He later specialized in gol o morgh floral and bird painting and ornamental relief work.
Hussein Altafi graduated in 1319 SH, corresponding to 1940/1941, with a qualification in fine arts. He subsequently pursued his artistic career independently and taught young artists who sought his instruction. For thirty years, he taught miniature painting and helped educate several prominent artists of the following generation.
In 1332 SH, corresponding to 1953/1954, Altafi traveled through various Iranian cities in search of talented and promising artists. He was later placed in charge of an artistic center in Khuzestan Province, where he contributed to the teaching and promotion of Iranian art.
Master Hussein Altafi’s paintings were exhibited in numerous exhibitions in Iran and abroad and received considerable public recognition. At an international exhibition in Belgium in 1355 SH, corresponding to 1976/1977, his works were awarded a diploma and a silver medal.
In 1358 SH, corresponding to 1979/1980, Hussein Altafi developed a heart condition and traveled to the United States for treatment, where he underwent surgery. After returning to Iran, he died of a heart attack later that same year.
His artistic career extended for nearly fifty years. Some of his works remain with his family, while others are preserved in the National Museum of Iranian Arts, private collections, the Glassware and Ceramic Museum, and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.
Hussein Altafi’s paintings are distinguished by their delicacy, refined details, skillful treatment of faces, colors, garments, and floral ornamentation, as well as their carefully balanced compositions. He drew inspiration from the Safavid and Herat schools while maintaining a recognizable artistic identity of his own.
The early phase of his career included nocturnal compositions inspired by the Safavid tradition. His later works displayed a greater diversity of styles and subjects. His miniatures are characterized by confident lines, harmonious colors, and carefully structured compositions.
His religious miniatures, particularly depictions of the Crucifixion of Christ and scenes relating to the prophets Jacob and Joseph, are noted for their depth of perspective and skillful arrangement of figures. Crowded scenes, architectural settings, and multiple layers of depth and perspective are among the most distinctive features of his work.