Shahbanou Farah at Art Monaco 2013 for a benefit for the Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation on the occasion of the anniversary of the late lamented Prince’s birthday.

The sculpture of Shahbanou’s hands by Mehrak Davoudi drew attention and acclaim. Iranian artists from around the world contributed works to honor the life of the Prince and to fund Ancient Iran scholarship at Harvard University.

A truly befitting tribute to the “Queen of the Arts” on the anniversary of the birthday of her son.

As reported by PurePeople.com:

Farah Pahlavi était présente au salon international d’art Art Monaco ’13 le 25 avril 2013 au Forum Grimaldi, pour l’inauguration et une vente aux enchères organisée au profit de la Fondation du Prince Alireza Pahlavi, qui s’est donné la mort à Boston en janvier 2011.

Le luxe a laissé la place à l’art et à la bienfaisance, au Forum Grimaldi. Après avoir accueilli les extravagances du salon Top Marques 2013, véritable “marché des millionnaires” que le prince Albert et la princesse Charlene ont inspecté, le fameux espace événementiel monégasque accueille du 25 au 28 avril l’édition 2013 de “Art Monaco”.

Accueillant des exposants du monde entier, le salon international d’art de la Côte d’Azur espère, en misant toujours sur l’excellence et en mettant en exergue aussi bien des galeries de renom que des enseignes émergentes, attirer un record de visiteurs. Certaines pièces rares parmi les 3 500 offertes au regard, telles que le Bull in Arena de Pablo Picasso ou le Portrait de Barbara Molasky d’Andy Warhol, ont de quoi attirer l’oeil…

Art Monaco ’13 a même pu compter sur une personnalité prestigieuse lors de sa journée inaugurale du 25 avril, marquée par une réception VIP : l’impératrice d’Iran Farah Pahlavi, 74 ans, était présente à l’occasion d’une vente aux enchères organisée à 18h30 au profit de la Fondation Prince Alireza Pahlavi, du nom de son fils décédé en janvier 2011 à l’âge de 44 ans, qui “restera toujours dans notre mémoire comme un vaillant fils de l’Iran, un Prince de la Perse, pour l’éternité”, selon le voeu exprimé par sa mère sur le site de la fondation. Dépressif depuis le suicide de sa soeur la princesse Leila dix ans plus tôt, le prince Alireza, troisième des quatre enfants du Shah d’Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi et de son épouse en troisièmes noces Farah Diba, s’est suicidé à Boston dans la nuit du 3 au 4 janvier 2011, en se tirant une balle. Quelques mois plus tard naissait, le 26 juillet 2011, sa fille Iryana Leila, fruit de sa relation avec Raha Didevar, enceinte au moment de son acte désespéré.

Souriante malgré ces épreuves de la vie et le souvenir de son défunt fils, Farah Pahlavi, très élégante et affable, s’est de bon gré pliée au jeu des dédicaces lors de l’inauguration du salon, avant d’assister à la vente aux enchères organisée avec Christie’s au bénéfice de la Fondation du prince Alireza Pahlavi pour les Études Anciennes Iraniennes à Harvard, fondée suite à sa disparition par sa mère pour commémorer “la vie d’un homme ayant vécu le meilleur et le pire de l’Iran, et qui a vécu sa vie avec un amour inlassable pour le pays de ses ancêtres”, selon la présentation du site de la fondation. Le prince Alireza était lui-même doctorant à Harvard au moment de sa mort. Parmi les lots mis en vente, des sculptures et des tableaux réalisés par Sa Majesté.

Prints of each painting (pictured below) are available in two sizes, one large print approximately the same size as the original, and a smaller print, approximately 14 x 17 inches. Each print is numbered and signed by the artist. Prints are museum-quality on archival paper, and are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity (provenance).

A full-size print may be acquired for a minimum donation of $5,000. A smaller print may be acquired for a minimum donation of $2,250.

All proceeds from the sale of these prints will benefit the Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation for Ancient Iranian Studies at Harvard. To acquire a print, you may contact us directly or visit the Alireza Pahlavi Foundation page on eBay.

All images copyright protected Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation 2012. All rights reserved.

Cards may be acquired for a minimum donation of $500 per box. Quantities are very limited. To make your selection, you may contact us directly or visit the Alireza Pahlavi Foundation listing on eBay.

All images copyright protected Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation 2012. All rights reserved.

All proceeds from the sale of these works benefit the Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation for Ancient Iranian Studies at Harvard.

Dear friends of the Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation,

We have received many kind inquiries regarding these beautiful paintings. All five paintings have now been acquired.

Thank you for your support of the Prince Alireza Pahlavi Foundation.  We do what we do for our Queen and our country and most of all to honor the memory of a beloved Iranian scholar.  We know you cherish our goal to advance the cause of scholarship in ancient Iranian languages, literature & culture.

Ba sepas,

The Volunteers of the Alireza Pahlavi Foundation

ACQUIRED $50,000 Anonymous Moyen Atlas Vessant Saharien Maroc (crepuscules). Photographies Reza Pahlavi 1986. 100cm X 72cm
ACQUIRED $55,000 Anonymous Golfe du Mexique (crepuscules).  Photographies Reza Pahlavi 1986. 102cm x 82cm
ACQUIRED Details to be announced. Lac Leman Suisse (crepuscules). Photographies Reza Pahlavi 1986. 100cm x 72cm
ACQUIRED $50,000 Anonymous Sud Marocain (crepuscules). Photographies Reza Pahlavi 1986. 100cm x 72cm
ACQUIRED $25,000 Anonymous Royal Air Maroc from Agadir to Paris. From a photograph by HIM Empress Farah: Sunset, From Agadir to Paris.  100 cm x 72 cm

Here is how Dr. Mehr remembers Shahpour Alireza Pahlavi…

Academically, he was interested particularly in two fields: the history of pre-Islamic Iran and the culture and languages of Iran prior to Islam. For the latter, he took courses with Professor James Russell, an expert in Middle Iranian and Armenian literatures, now the Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard. He later pursued this field at Harvard, which was better equipped to give instruction on these subjects. For Persian history, he took a course that I was giving. He showed a healthy and lively curiosity in historical problems.

It is a great pity that an untimely passing cut his plans short. It is hard to believe that such an excellent and most promising young man is no longer with us. His indelible memory and that of his joie de vivre haunts me and keeps posing unanswerable questions about the enigma of fate.

It is most appropriate and a cause for great appreciation by all the lovers of Iran and its culture that Her Imperial Majesty Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi has founded a Fellowship in Ancient Iranian Studies in the name of Prince Alireza Pahlavi at Harvard University.

The significance of her Majesty’s act becomes clearer when we remember how important it is to fortify the foundations of Iranian Studies. Iran has had a long and rich history and has contributed remarkably to the progress of world culture. It was Iran that founded the first empire in the world with a humane policy bringing many countries and many races under one rule. Its poetry is among the best in the world, its art has no rival in the entire Middle East, and its cultural influence in neighboring countries, particularly in the Subcontinent and Anatolia, has been profound. All these and more need to be made known and written about. Any step taken to promote the knowledge of Iranian history and culture is a service to the promotion of humanities. The establishment of a Fellowship in Prince Alireza Pahlavi’s memory helps to advance the study of ancient Iran.

Ehsan Yarshater,
Columbia University