New Book 'The Missing Masterpiece of Tehran' Explores Art and Revolution in Iran
A new book titled 'The Missing Masterpiece of Tehran' has been released as a Random House Audiobook Original, delving into the story of Western masterpieces acquired by Farah Pahlavi for the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art and their fate during the Iranian Revolution. The book's fifth chapter, 'Priceless Hostages of Tehran,' specifically recounts the events of October 1977 when Farah Pahlavi opened the museum with a collection including works by Picasso, Pollock, Warhol, and Willem de Kooning's 'Woman III.' Fifteen months later, with the Shah's departure, these Western artworks were moved to the museum's basement as soldiers entered the premises. The narrative focuses on the period when English art dealer Oliver Hoare, museum staff, and soldiers witnessed the revolution's arrival, highlighting the trade of de Kooning's 'Woman III' for 118 paintings from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp.
