TEHRAN -- An oil painting portraying Imam Mahdi alongside martyred Iranian leader and General Qassem Soleimani was unveiled in Tehran to mark the anniversary of the beginning of Imam Mahdi (AS)’s imamate.
The ceremony for the unveiling of “Khurasani Companions” (Yaran-e Khorasani) by Iranian artist Ali Bahraini was held at the Soura Gallery of the Art Bureau of the Islamic Revolution, according to the Islamic Revolution Art Bureau.
Created in 1405 in oil on canvas, the 200-by-150-centimeter painting is part of Bahraini’s “Savior” (Monji) series, a 10-work project that the artist began in 1403 and said is based on hadiths from recognized Shiite sources.
Explaining the idea behind the painting, Bahraini said he began working on “Khurasani Companions” following the martyrdom of the Leader and, while completing the work, developed the idea of depicting the martyred Leader alongside the Savior at the time of Imam Mahdi’s appearance.
According to the artist, the painting depicts the martyred Leader and General Qassem Soleimani behind Imam Mahdi, reflecting the belief that martyrs will accompany the Savior at the time of his appearance.
Bahraini also sought to incorporate an element of Iranian cultural tradition into the work, drawing on the custom of welcoming guests with sweets, sacrifice and burning esfand, a traditional aromatic seed burned in Iranian households and ceremonies.
He described “Khurasani Companions” as a distinctly Iranian work within the “Savior” series, which he said is divided into two chapters, with the first already completed.
The wider series begins with the birth of Imam Mahdi (AS) and continues through the martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), the beginning of the occultation, apocalyptic wars and other events preceding the appearance described in religious traditions, ultimately depicting the period of Imam Mahdi’s rule.
Bahraini said there was a need for a comprehensive narrative series devoted to Imam Mahdi (AS) within Iran’s visual arts and expressed hope that the project would encourage artists to create more extensive and ambitious works addressing Mahdavi themes.