TEHRAN -- Fereidun Seddiqi, the son of deceased Iranian sculptor Abolhassan Seddiqi, asserts that Golestan Palace, where Amir Kabir once served as prime minister of Iran, is the best place for the giant sculpture of Amirkabir.

The bronze sculpture of Mirza Taqi Kahan Farahani, best known as Amir Kabir (1807-1852), the prime minister of the Qajar king Nasser ad-Din Shah, was created by Abolhassan Seddiqi in Italy before the Islamic Revolution and came home 32 years later.
The choice of location to install the giant sculpture of Amir Kabir has provoked controversy.
The officials at the Tehran Municipality propose the Iranian Artists Forum as the location, as they believe more people would have the opportunity to see the sculpture, while Seddiqi’s son has another opinion.
The former Association of National Works (the present Iranian Luminaries Association) commissioned Seddiqi to make the sculpture before the Islamic Revolution, his son told the Persian service of Fars. “My father first made the huge artwork in several small pieces at a factory in Florence to be assembled later, but he returned to Iran during the revolution and the sculpture was left there with an undetermined fate,” he added.
“The Association of National Works was disbanded after the revolution and the required funding was not provided to the factory owner who in return kept the artwork for himself in his factory all these years,” he explained.
“It was several months ago when Tehran Municipality’s Statue Office director Mojtaba Musavi made a trip to Italy to pursue the case and found out that the owner is dead and the sculpture is still at the workshop of the factory. Furthermore, the owner’s son is not interested in keeping the sculpture any longer.
“The issue was pursued by Iran’s embassy in Italy, and through the efforts made by the Iranian ambassador and Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, the huge sculpture was returned to Iran after 32 years,” he stated.
The sculpture is over 3 meters high. The left hand of Amir Kabir is laid on his chest holding the verdict of his chancellorship. The sculpture is packed now and is currently kept at Tehran’s Barg Gallery awaiting the final decision. “Amir Kabir was living northeast of the palace for a while as prime minister under Nasser ad-Din Shah, so I believe Golestan Palace is where the sculpture should go.”
He later warned of the dangers his father’s other sculptures are facing. “Tehran’s statues of Ferdowsi and Khayyam are in danger, facing serious damage from exposure by remaining outdoors”. Created by Abolhassan Seddiqi, Ferdowsi’s statue is situated in Ferdowsi Square and Khayyam’s statue is set up in Tehran’s Laleh Park.
“Recently, a replica of Khayyam’s statue was made and located at the (former) Einoddoleh Mansion (Barg Gallery). Now, a replica of Ferdowsi’s statue is also being made to be located at the gallery. I wonder why the original works are not being restored and the replicas are being taken care of,” he concluded.
Abolhassan Seddiqi was born in 1894 in Tehran. He was intensely interested in painting and left school to study art in Kamalolmolk’s school. Kamalolmolk was astonished upon seeing Seddiqi’s first statues and dedicated a workshop to him in his school.
Seddiqi created many statues of great Iranian luminaries and also made some great artwork during his time in Italy. In 1991, the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO decided to take photos of Seddiqi’s statues and published a book on his creations three years later.
Seddiqi passed away in 1995; one year after his book was published.