Persian painting has several branches. These include the classic art of the Persian miniature, the popular form of “Qahveh Khanehei” painting (Tea-house style painting), and Modern painting in an international style.

Modern Painting: The modern art movement in Iran had its genesis in the late 1940s and early ’50s. At this time a group of artists dedicated to creating a uniquely Iranian, modern idiom were formed. In 1977, the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art opened, boasting an important collection of both Western and Iranian artists.