Glass Painting Museum

The Tehran Glass Painting Museum is the second museum of its kind in the world, located in the private home of Dr. Shaghaghi, which was built in 1930. Glass painting has a rich history, but unfortunately, the exact origins and date of its invention are unclear. Some believe that this art form may have originated in countries like China, Egypt, or ancient Rome. The oldest known glass painting dates back to the 3rd or 4th century. During the Middle Ages, glass painting gained significant popularity in Italy, particularly in Venice and the island of Murano. Over time, this art spread from Italy to various parts of Europe, including Germany, France, and Austria.

History of Glass Painting

The history of glassmaking dates back to the Elamite period, but there’s no evidence of painting on ancient glass or similar decorations. The art of glass painting itself emerged in the 17th century and is believed to have been introduced to Iran from Venice, where it was refined by Iranian artists, leading to the creation of many valuable works. In Iran, common themes and designs include colorful borders, floral patterns, religious and historical motifs, human and animal figures, geometric shapes, and images of buildings and landscapes, along with writings and Quranic verses. The technique used in glass painting is quite different from other forms of painting. Notably, both images and texts are painted in reverse, fixed, and then flipped. In this method, the details are painted first, followed by the background colors, and finally, the main colors are applied to the glass.

One of the main differences between this art and other painting styles is the use of layers of undercoating, base, and sometimes canvas. In addition to paint, various materials like colored papers, glitter, silk threads, leather, and cotton or wool fibers are often used as fillers for the background and main design. Another technique involves etching silver behind mirrors and adding designs and colors, which has also become quite popular. Some notable artists in this field include:

• During the Zand era: Agha Sadegh, Agha Najaf, Agha Zaman.
• From the Qajar era: Mehr Ali, Master Ahmar.
• In the Pahlavi era: Abdol Jalil, Abdol Nabi, Abdol Khalil, Abdol Hamid.
• In recent decades: Amir Rahimi, Mahin Azima, Mohammad Farahani, Mohammad Ali Zolghadr.
• Museum Address: Saadi North Street, Shahid Qaid Brothers Street, No. 202.

For more information, it’s best to check the Sana Persian website, where our team can provide you with the most accurate visiting hours and days. We look forward to welcoming you soon to the Glass Painting Museum in Tehran, Iran!