The Empress and I: how an ancient empire collected, rejected, and rediscovered modern art

Abstract

In the 1970s, American curator Donna Stein served as an art advisor to Empress Farah Diba Pahlavi, the Shahbanu of Iran. Together, Stein and Pahlavi generated an art market in Iran, as Stein encouraged Pahlavi's patronage of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Today, the contemporary section of the Iranian National Collection--most of which continues to languish in storage--is considered one of the most significant collections of modern art outside of Europe and the United States. The Empress and I is a vivid account of Stein's experience at the height of this storied intercultural initiative. In crafting her highly readable narrative, Stein cites a number of previously confidential documents, including private correspondence with artists and dealers. This text explores the relationship between two women united by their shared passion for the arts and the continued legacy of their partnership in today's art world. --Publisher

Contents

The Most Prized Modern Artwork in Tehran -- Iran in the 1970s -- My First Visit to Iran -- My Second Visit and First Acquisitions -- Working for Iran in New York -- Moving to Tehran -- Inside the Private Secretariat of Her Imperial Majesty -- Trouble in Paradise -- The Plot Thickens -- Free at Last -- A Seed Planted with Love Never Dies: Interview with Farah Pahlavi -- Documents -- Index -- Acknowledgments.