Mahmood Sabzi (Born 1951) Iranian/American, Signed and Numbered Lithograph. Depicts a woman sitting a piano observing a cat sitting beneath it. Signed in gold pen lower left. Numbered 74/295 in gold pen lower right. 

Overall Size: 21 1/4 x 25 3/4 in. 

Sight Size: 13 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. 

Frame Thickness: 1 1/2 in. 

Mahmood Sabzi, professionally known simply as Sabzi, was born in Ahvaz, Iran in 1951. He began painting when he was twelve years old, and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering at the University of Jundi Shapur. Initially, Sabzi made realistic paintings inspired by his country’s history and culture. When Ruhollah Khomeini rose to power, however, he went into exile to avoid being arrested for his outspoken criticism of the Supreme Leader, settling first in Germany and then immigrating to the United States in the mid 1980s. During this period, he experimented with figurative and abstract styles, creating a distinctive Impressionist aesthetic. He spent only a few months in New York before permanently settling in southern California. Each of his moves was captured in his paintings, as changes to his style reflected changes in his environment. According to Sabzi, he draws his base inspiration from the Persian rugs created by his mother. Sabzi rarely paints overtly revolutionary themes, and the majority of his works focus on feminine forms, frequently pale-skinned slender women in cubist shapes, fashionable and vibrant in various moods and dreamy poses. Today, numerous other artists have been inspired by his style, and his art can be found in various private collections and public museums throughout the West and East Coasts.