Happy #Nowruz! The festival Nowruz, or “new day” in Persian, celebrates spring’s a

Happy #Nowruz! The festival Nowruz, or “new day” in Persian, celebrates spring’s arrival and marks the beginning of the solar new year. 300 million people throughout the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Iranian diaspora observe this ancient Zoroastrian holiday. The two weeks of Nowruz are about getting outside and appreciating nature, spending time with family and friends, and forgiving others. The celebration begins on the Wednesday (Chaher Shanbeh Suri) before Nowruz, when family members jump over a bonfire, saying  “sorkhi-e to az man, zardi-e man az toˮ, or “Give me your redness and take away my wintry sallow complexion.ˮ On the first day of Nowruz, families gather around a table set with seven items that start with the sound of “S” in Persian, together symbolizing hope for a successful and happy new year.In the spirit of Nowruz, Persian painter Muhammad Zaman’s 17th-century Blue Iris reminds us of spring and new beginnings. Dutch artists were active in Isfahan, Iran, during Zaman’s time, and his exposure to Dutch prints likely influenced his naturalistic style of painting. This blue iris epitomizes the hybrid style that evolved out of the diversity of cultural traditions that characterized Isfahan during the Safavid period (1501-1732).Posted by Caitlin Thakral -- source link

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