Ostad Gholam Hossein Amirkhani

The great master of Persian calligraphy Ostad Gholam Hossein Amirkhani

Since my tonbak master, Ostad Nasser Farhangfar, was also a calligrapher, I have always been fascinated by this beautiful Persian art form. Driven by this curiosity, I once visited the office of the Society of Iranian Calligraphists in Tehran to meet Ostad Gholam Hossein Amirkhani, one of the greatest masters of Persian calligraphy. I brought my tonbak with me, hoping to perform for him.

I asked if Ostad Amirkhani had some time to listen to my music. To my delight, Ostad Amirkhani and the other members of the Supreme Council for the Society graciously listened as I played a private concert for them. After my performance, one of the members of the Council asked Ostad Amirkhani if they could dedicate a book of his works to me. He agreed and signed the book for me! It was a tremendous honor.

Inspired by this experience, I decided to translate the biography of Ostad Amirkhani from Persian to English and publish it here:

The Biography of Ostad Gholam Hossein Amirkhani

Ostad Gholam Hossein Amirkhani, born in 1939 in Taleghan, Iran, is a distinguished master of Persian calligraphy. He honed his skills under the tutelage of renowned calligraphers Ostad Seyyed Hossein Mirkhani, and his brother, Ostad Seyyed Hassan Mirkhani. He became a member of the Iranian Calligraphers Association in 1965 and was named a master of Iranian calligraphy in 1979.

For many years, he served as the head of the Supreme Council of the Iranian Calligraphers Association. Throughout these years, he has been dedicated to teaching and mentoring aspiring calligraphers.

In addition to his leadership roles, Ostad Amirkhani is a member of the Board of Juries for the world's Calligraphy Competitions, known as Yakut, held in Turkey. He also holds a prominent position as the chief member of UNESCO's National Commission of Iran.

Ostad Amirkhani has created numerous invaluable calligraphic works, including Tarjih-Band by the poet Hatef Esfahani, Tarkib-Band by Mohtasham-e-Kashani, Divan-e-Hafez, Sarv-e-Sayeh-Afkan, Tazmin-e-Golchin-e-Saadi, Yad-Name-ye-Kalhor, Ghazaliyat-e-Khaju-ye-Kermani, Adab-al-Khat, Ghaside-ye-Qoraniyeh, and Sahife-ye-Hasti. His contributions to Persian calligraphy have been widely recognized, and he has received several prestigious awards, including the Legion of Honor from France in 2017. His work has been showcased in over one hundred exhibitions in Iran and internationally, including in England, France, Germany, Turkey, Syria, and the Emirates.

Also, see History of Persian Calligraphy.