LIFE IN IRAN The Library of Congress Drawings by Ardeshir Mohassess

Published by Mage Publishers, Washington D.C., 1994. First edition. Introduction by Bernard F. Reilly, Jr. Illustrated softcover, 11.75" x 9.5", 47 pages, filled with captioned b&w illustrations by one of the greatest political satirists of Iran. His prescient and tragic work spoke truth to power and bear witness to the authoritarian forces surrounding the 1979 Revolution and the repressive years that followed under the Islamic Republic of Iran. These drawings depict transformative decades in Iran, first observed from within the country and later from the diaspora. Very Good Condition: a touch of wear to the covers, otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked. Uncommon.

Ardeshir Mohassess (b. Iran, 1938-2008), Iran's greatest contemporary graphic artist, His work depicts a crucial time in Iran's modern history, the years surrounding the 1979 Revolution. His fearless critique of the monarchy and clergy, and depicting the shah and his entourage with unrelenting scorn led to increasing censorship and police harassment, prompting his departure from Iran. These images resonate with increasing urgency, a record that asserts art's role as witness, documenting what power seeks to obscure and of preserving memory where official histories fail.