دیوار تجدد در منزل محسن مقدم اثر هوشنگ سیحون

The Moghadam House and Museum, along with its remarkable collection of historical and artistic artifacts, is considered one of the most valuable cultural heritage museums in Iran. This Qajar-era residence, covering approximately 2,500 square meters, once formed part of a larger garden-house complex belonging to Mohammad-Taqi Khan Ehtesab al-Molk, a Qajar court official and a member of the Moghadam family of Maragheh. The property later became the possession of his youngest son, Mohsen Moghadam. Ehtesab al-Molk served as the first mayor of Tehran during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar and was later appointed as Iran’s minister plenipotentiary to Switzerland. He had five children, three of whom tragically passed away at a young age due to illness. Deeply affected by this loss, he devoted great care to the education and upbringing of his two surviving sons, Hassan and Mohsen, sending them both to Europe to pursue their studies. Hassan, born in 1898 (1277 SH), died young in 1925 (1304 SH) from illness in Switzerland. Mohsen Moghadam, born in 1900 (1279 SH) in Tehran, received his primary education at Tarbiyat School and later at the German Technical School. He then went to Switzerland, where he studied for four years at the Collège Classique of Lausanne. Returning to Iran during World War I, he briefly studied painting at the School of Fine Arts (Madrese-ye Sanaye‘ Mostazrafeh), before resuming his travels to Italy and Germany to conduct research on museums. He later went to France, where he studied archaeology and painting, eventually earning a diploma in museology. While in Paris, he met Selma Kouyoumjian, a fellow archaeology student, whom he later married. The couple returned to Iran in 1936 (1315 SH) and remained there for the rest of their lives. Moghadam collaborated with André Godard in the founding of the University of Tehran and taught there until 1968 (1347 SH). His deep affection for the university led him to dedicate his lifelong collection and property to it, describing his mission as: “The preservation and protection of ancient and artistic works such as tilework, woodcarving, stucco, mirrorwork, paintings, images, and other objects — whether attached to walls and architectural surfaces or existing independently.” He stipulated that all proceeds from the endowed estate be devoted to its expansion, including the purchase of antique, historical, and artistic objects, as well as their maintenance and conservation. During their lifetimes, Dr. Moghadam and his wife Selma regularly opened their home on Friday afternoons to friends and acquaintances. It is said that nearly all the great figures of Iranian and international art and architecture visited the house to see its invaluable treasures. Located on the north side of Imam Khomeini Street (formerly Sepah Street), between Valiasr Avenue and Sheikh Hadi Street, the house reflects Moghadam’s lifelong passion for collecting. From the age of sixteen, he began assembling his first collection—traditional smoking pipes (chopoq)—and devoted much of his income thereafter to acquiring antique and archaeological artifacts. Whenever a historic house faced demolition, Moghadam was among the first to arrive, salvaging fragments and objects for his growing collection. Over the forty years he and Selma lived in the house, continuous restorations and aesthetic modifications were made, transforming it into a masterpiece of authentic Iranian architecture. The residential complex originally consisted of three main sections: a large main house, a spacious courtyard, and a beautiful garden, of which only fragments remain today. The house itself comprised andaruni (private quarters) and biruni (public reception areas), once separated by a wall. The original dividing wall, designed by Moghadam himself, was later deemed incompatible with modern social life and replaced with a new design by Hooshang Seyhoun, under whose supervision it was rebuilt. This new wall—designed as a row of brick arches interspersed with turquoise-tiled spiral columns—included two carved stone bases. These bases, dating from the early 19th century (first half of the 13th century AH), resemble the fountain pedestals of the Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan. They were reportedly salvaged during the demolition of Naser al-Din Shah’s sister’s palace in the old Golestan Palace complex and brought to Moghadam’s residence. However, archival documents from the Moghadam Museum indicate that they may have originally belonged to the Judiciary Building (Edāliyeh) from the reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar. Today, the Moghadam House stands not only as a museum of art and archaeology but also as a living testimony to one man’s devotion to Iran’s cultural heritage—an intimate space where architecture, memory, and scholarship converge in harmonious unity.

مرجع عکس‌ها: کتاب هوشنگ سیحون (معمار، هنرمند، نقاش)

تالیف: شهریار خانی‌زاد