Picasso is hiding in Iran

Samiazar managed to open an exhibition of the highlights of the collection for five months in 2005 -- an act of artistic suicide committed just as the election of one of the most militantly anti-Western presidents in Iran's recent history, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was putting an end to his tenure at the museum and consigning the paintings once more to the basement.

"You can't find any collection of this comprehension outside the Western world," said Samiazar, who now teaches at a Tehran art institute. "In Tokyo, you may find important works by Impressionist artists. But in terms of a comprehensive collection covering all the major movements, no. Nowhere. Not in the East European countries, not in Scandinavia, not in South America or Asia. Not anywhere. It's one of the most important cultural assets of this country."

Which has brought me to Sadeghi's office, and my exercise in dignified begging. The collection once was freely open to visiting scholars and journalists, I point out, but these permissions have become harder to come by under the new president.

He wants to know why I'm so keen to see them. He lectures me about those who imply Iran hasn't a right to these paintings, who raise unfounded charges that Iran isn't caring for them properly. He describes the strict regime of humidity and temperature control under which they are kept.

He says the main reason the collection can't be displayed now is not that it is politically incorrect. The bigger reason, he says, is that there simply is no room for both the museum's robust program of temporary exhibitions and its large permanent holdings.

Sadeghi says there are plans afoot to build a major national gallery in Tehran to put the paintings on permanent display, along with the museum's extensive collection of Iranian contemporary art, and acquire new works -- a Cezanne, perhaps -- to fill in the holes in the Tehran collection.

"The way you approached me in your letter suggested that we do not appreciate this collection. On the contrary. I myself am an artist and sculptor; I have a PhD in art research. I have participated in 44 international exhibitions. My wife is an artist. My daughter is an artist. Do you imagine we would not safeguard this collection?

"This collection is near to our soul. It is a precious thing for us, we keep it like the apple of our eye. But we also believe the collection of the vault belongs to the whole of humanity."

"All the more reason to see it," I say.