Iran calligraphist gains France top order

Iranian calligraphy master Gholamhossein Amirkhani has been awarded the highest French order.

The French embassy in the Iranian capital, Tehran, offered the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur on behalf of the European country to calligraphy master AmirKhani for his extensive works of art.

“The Ordre, awarded to persons of merit, recognizes and cherishes foreign artists to promote the state of art; I am pleased to honor you on behalf of French officials, with Légion d'honneur,” French ambassador to Tehran Mr. François Sénémaud said.

The French official went on to praise Amirkhani as Iran’s cultural ambassador.

“Your name is entwined with Iranian Calligraphers Association (ICA); your fame and star descended when you trained many disciples and when your beautiful lines adorned the papers of art during three score years; you have been pivotal to shining of Iranian and Persian literature and culture in the world; your calligraphy of towering figures of Persian literature as Hafiz, Saadi, etc., served thy country well,” said the ambassador.

“The achievement, lifelong as it is, did not remain unnoticed; in 2001 for example, you have been selected as the select artist among all art galleries; and in 1977, the honor found you as the first winner of the country’s medal; no less shining is your selection as a Person of Merit,” the ambassador continued.

Amirkhani, for his part, juxtaposed the importance of art in the modern age, saying, “the place of art and culture in a chaotic world of today provides warms to the hearts of the ordinary people; this is imaginable that one day, this pandemonium will end and waters will be limpid again in the beautiful lake of art, when it will serve the human culture.”

The Iranian artist also lauded France for holding the field of art in high esteem as a great contribution to the world throughout history.

“France has been the land of contribution to art and culture worldwide; two centuries ago, Revolution of 1789 outlawed the practice of slavery for the first time in western world; this was a great achievement for advancement of human values; art and culture and its lovers have always been on the focus of French efforts to upheld creative minds; as a teacher for almost 55 years, I have been honored to serve the art as a tutor and worked to keep the sublime art of calligraphy living,” Amirkhani concluded.

AI/AI