Iranian thinker
Sohrab Sepehri
Sohrab SepehriModern Poetry, Painting, and Modern MysticismIranian1928–1980
One must wash one's eyes, see in a different way.
Life and Thought
Sohrab Sepehri is a contemporary Iranian poet, painter, and thinker, and one of the most important figures of modern Persian poetry. His poetry and vision created a unique bond between Eastern mysticism, the philosophy of Illumination, and the aesthetics of nature, leaving a profound impact on contemporary Iranian culture and literature. His poetry collection 'Hasht Ketab' (Eight Books) and his paintings are considered among the most enduring artistic and intellectual achievements of Iran.
Sohrab Sepehri was born on October 7, 1928, in Kashan. He graduated with first-class honors in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran. In addition to poetry, he was considered a pioneer of the modern style in contemporary Iranian painting, inspired by nature and Persian miniatures. His numerous travels to various countries, including India, Japan, France, and Italy, led to his deep familiarity with Eastern cultures, particularly Buddhism and the Zen school.
The thought and poetry of Sohrab Sepehri are the ground for an intelligent fusion of ancient Iranian-Islamic mysticism, Far Eastern wisdom, and the modern, existentialist outlook of modern man. With a simple language yet brimming with innovative metaphors, he sang of a worldview of purity, presence in the 'present moment,' friendship with nature, and the negation of the violence and tumult of modern society. His well-known poetic works 'Sedā-ye Pā-ye Āb' (The Sound of Water's Footsteps) and 'Mosāfer' (The Traveler) are outstanding examples of his philosophical and poetic reflections on existence, death, life, and God.
All his poetic works are collected in a volume titled 'Hasht Ketab' (Eight Books). In addition to poetry, his prose writings in the books 'Hanuz dar Safaram' (I Am Still Traveling) and 'Otāgh-e Ābi' (The Blue Room) recount the depth of his aesthetic and cosmological views. Sepehri passed away on April 21, 1980, in Tehran and was laid to rest in the courtyard of the Imamzadeh Sultan Ali ibn Mohammad Bagher in Mashhad-e Ardehal, Kashan.
