A pioneer and acclaimed master of contemporary Iranian painting, Ahmad Esfandiari has worked steadily for 60 years, and still experiments within his style and technique.

Esfandiari is from the first generation of the pioneers of art. Born in 1922, he was among the first group of graduates of the Tehran Fine Arts University.

At the peak of his career, by using modern Western combinations of familiar Iranian art motifs and elements such as miniature, batik, qalamkar, and tilework, he created a new eclectic style. This process is both an important and basic feature of his work, mostly adapted from local and traditional Iranian art. The resulting colors remind one of the Impressionist and Post Impressionist styles with their warm and lively compositions and harmony. This distinguishing style and his colorful and beautiful landscapes have placed him in the company of other Iranian artists who also combined ancient traditional Iranian miniature and art with modern elements.

The stylization of form and traditional motifs, attention to light, a colorful palette, and his constant experimentation have created an impressive amount of variety in his work including traditional forms, complete abstraction, expressionism, pointillism, and even Cézanne inspired works. Esfandiari, at age 80, still works with enthusiasm and still experiments within his field. Years of teaching have placed great influence on the next generation of painters.