Private Collection, Tehran 

This work is in very good condition. Upon very close inspection, there is a pin sized hole approximately 1cm below the centre of the top edge, and a few very light drying marks in place along the black pigment, most notably along the right edge. All aforementioned areas are visible on the catalogue illustration. The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate with the overall tonality being richer in the original work, with the brown hues tending more towards a deep crimson.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

“In his paintings, ominous creatures, such as owls, blind vultures, fauns, semi-humans, or minotaur’s, often bruised and handicapped, even when posturing as victorious, inhabit a solitary world. He admires the nobility of animals and he did not always separate them from humans. Filtered through an admiration for Picasso and Henry Moore, Mohassess created muscular paintings conceptually mediated through sculpture and, in his sculptures, lean figures that underplay volume and turn gravity into a subject of representation”.

Fereshte Daftari cited in: Fereshte Daftari and Layla S. Diba, Iran Modern, New York, 2013, p. 34.