Some of the most famous works of art by Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, and Jackson Pollock do not hang on the walls of the world's most famous museums, but are hidden in the capital of Iran, Tehran.
This city is home to one of the most stunning collections of contemporary art in the world, known to few outside of Iran.
For decades, these masterpieces were hidden in the basement of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran, shrouded in secrecy and locked away from the public eye.
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Despite its rich collection, since the Iranian (Islamic) Revolution of 1979, the museum has exhibited only a small number of works of art.
Due to political turmoil, changing cultural values, and a series of historical twists and turns, these works of art were kept in storage and could not be enjoyed by either Iranians or art lovers around the world.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran has begun displaying some of his captivating works, providing insight into a collection that has been a great mystery for decades.
Lighthouse of cultural exchange
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran is one of the most important cultural institutions in Iran, which houses one of the most valuable collections of contemporary art outside of Europe and North America.
It was built in 1977 under the patronage of the former queen and last empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, widow of the last Iranian Shah, Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown from power during the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Farah Pahlavi, who later fled Iran, was a passionate art lover, and her cousin and architect Kamran Diba designed the museum building.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran was established to introduce Iranians to contemporary art and to act as a bridge between the country and the international art scene.
It quickly became home to an impressive collection of works by greats such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Andy Warhol, as well as works by leading Iranian modernists, cementing its status as a beacon of cultural exchange and artistic ambition.
But then the Islamic Revolution happened and everything changed dramatically.
Many works of art have been declared unsuitable for public display due to nudity, religious sensitivity, and political involvement.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir's painting Gabrielle with an Open Blouse (Gabrielle avec la chemise ouverte)? Too scandalous.
Warhol's portrait of the former queen of Iran? Too political.
In fact, during the revolution, Farah Pahlavi's portrait was cut out with a knife.
After the revolution, many works of art were locked in the basement and left to gather dust.
Hamid Keşmirşekan, an art historian at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London who has studied the collection, calls it "one of the rarest treasuries of contemporary art outside the West."
The collection continues to represent a time capsule of the most significant artistic movements, from abstract expressionism to pop art.
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Return to the art scene
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran began to revive its cultural significance in the late 1990s, during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, who implemented a series of liberal reforms.
And the world suddenly remembered everything it hadn't seen.
Art lovers couldn't believe their eyes - works by Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali, even Claude Monet - were all in Tehran.
Some works were briefly loaned for major exhibitions in Europe and the United States (USA).
However, the Museum still faces challenges as it has a limited budget and due to changing political circumstances, it often operates more as a cultural center than a classical museum.
Despite this, it remains an extremely important institution and an unexpected custodian of masterpieces of contemporary art in the heart of Tehran.
The museum's collection is a testament to both the artistic ambitions of an era and proof of the enduring power of creativity despite the unpredictable course of history.
Here are some of the most famous works of art that can only be seen in Tehran.
'The Painter and His Model', Pablo Picasso
"The Painter and His Model" (The Painter and His Model), Picasso's largest oil on canvas from 1927, is a strong example of his abstract works from the post-Cubist period.
Using a limited color palette and fragmented lines, it offers a symbolic view of humanity.
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'On the Threshold of Eternity', Vincent van Gogh
"On the threshold of eternity" (At Eternity's Gate) is a depiction of a worn-out old man sitting hunched over in a chair, his elbows on his knees and his hands covering his face, and is one of the very few surviving works from Van Gogh's first graphic cycle, during which he created six lithographs in November 1882.
'Triptych of Two Naked Men and Two Spectators', Francis Bacon
The triptych 'Triptych of Two Naked Men and Two Observers' depicts figures on the two side panels who appear to be spying on two naked men lying on a bed in the central panel.
This is a significant work of expressionism.
Nearby, as a contrast to Bacon's work, is a portrait of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
'Reclining Figure', Henry Moore
The famous sculpture 'Reclining Figure' represents the harmony between man and nature. With its abstract yet thoughtful form, it is a masterpiece by one of Britain's most famous sculptors.
'Mural on Red Indian Soil', Jackson Pollock
A vivid example of Pollock's action painting that exudes energy and emotion.
'Portrait of Fare Pahlavi', Andy Warhol
The portrait of Iran's last queen, Farah Pahlavi, is a rare work that combines Warhol's pop art style with Iranian cultural history.
'The Walking Man', Alberto Giacometti
This is the first in a series of Giacometti bronze sculptures, considered one of his most famous works. The elongated and delicate figure symbolizes loneliness, fragility, and humanity's constant struggle to move forward.
'The Opportunist', Jean Dibiffe
The provocative work challenges traditional notions of art and aesthetics. The work of a leading representative of marginal art (art brut) is both raw and conceptually deep.
'Therapist', Rene Magritte
The 1967 bronze sculpture is one of eight works created in three-dimensional form by surrealist painter Rene Magritte.
'The Whale', Chuck Close
This photo-realistic mezzotint (a graphic intaglio printing process in which a matrix is made mechanically) invites the viewer into a world of exquisite detail.
Clowes' innovative grid technique makes this portrait a masterful interplay of abstraction and realism.
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