Noor Soussi
Head of Department
Lot 64*
Charles Hossein Zenderoudi(Iran, born 1937)KIRA
25 November 2025, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£70,000 - £100,000
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Nima Sagharchi
Group Head
Lylia Hafiz
Sale Coordinator
Charles Hossein Zenderoudi (Iran, born 1937)
KIRA
acrylic on canvas, framed
signed "Zenderoudi Hossein" and dated "88" (lower right), executed in 1988
118 x 84cm (46 7/16 x 33 1/16in).
acrylic on canvas, framed
signed "Zenderoudi Hossein" and dated "88" (lower right), executed in 1988
118 x 84cm (46 7/16 x 33 1/16in).
Footnotes
Provenance:
Property from a private collection, France
Note:
This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Charles Hossein Zenderoudi archives and will be included in the forthcoming Charles Hossein Zenderoudi catalogue raisonée.
A leading figure of Iranian modernism, Charles Hossein Zenderoudi is celebrated for pioneering the Saqqakhaneh movement, an art form that merges traditional Islamic iconography with contemporary abstraction. Kira, executed in 1988, is a striking example of Zenderoudi's mature style, defined by rhythmic calligraphic forms and vibrant chromatic interplay.
The composition pulsates with energy as the artist layers stylised letters and abstract marks in vivid hues of red, green, blue, yellow, and pink, woven together into a dynamic, almost architectural surface. While the script is largely abstracted and non-legible, it retains the spiritual resonance of Persian calligraphy, evoking the visual cadence of sacred texts.
By the late 1980s, Zenderoudi's work had evolved beyond the more overt symbolism of his early Saqqakhaneh period, embracing a universal language of colour and movement. Kira exemplifies this transition, balancing gesture and geometry, intuition and order. The work's densely patterned surface invites contemplation, reflecting the artist's deep connection to Iranian cultural heritage and his engagement with global modernist abstraction.