Maryam Gholamhosseini

Legacy Woven in Time:
The Story of Maryam Gholamhosseini and Her Ancestral Lineage in Persian Rugs

A Heritage Born in Farahan

Born in 1982 in Tehran, Maryam Gholamhosseini descends from a distinguished family originally from Greater Farahan a region whose artistic legacy has profoundly shaped the Persian rug tradition for generations. Her paternal grandfather, Mirza Habibullah Gholamhosseini, the son of Mirza Yadullah, was born in the village of Millajerd around 1900’s, toward the late reign of the Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar. A revered rug designer and master artisan of the Farahan and Komijan region, he began his interest to arts and specially painting at his preschool age, then started his general studies in a traditional Iranian “Maktabkhaneh,” alongside his childhood friend, Issa Bahadori.

Renowned for his refined craftsmanship, sensitive colour palette, and poetic compositions. Beyond his design work, he ran several rug-making studios across Farahan, where teams of weavers and apprentices brought his designs to life with great fidelity. Mirza Habibullah was a pillar of regional artistic excellence until his untimely passing in his mid-forties. His death left a lasting silence in the family Maryam’s father was only seven years old at the time. Although Maryam never met her grandfather, a single photograph which was taken during his military service and a lifetime of cherished family stories kept his spirit alive in her imagination. These fragments of memory ignited her quest to reawaken his legacy through her own path in the arts.

Parallel Genius: Issa Bahadori –
Master of Iranian Decorative Arts

Through her maternal lineage, Maryam is also related to Issa Bahadori, born in Aghche Kariz, Millajerd in the Farahan region. Bahadori, a nationally renowned painter, designer, and educator, was both a close childhood friend and classmate of Mirza Habibullah. Together, they studied courses under Karbalaei Ahmad Shafie teaching, a traditional village master who taught general knowledge alongside rug design. The voice of the old village schoolmaster always echoed in Issa ears, as he recited this verse from Saadi:

A teacher was always in his mind with the encouraging word like:

While Habibullah remained in Farahan, dedicated to the traditions of handwoven artistry and still remembered by local elders as the region’s finest rug designer, Bahadori moved to Tehran, where he became a pioneer in reviving Iranian visual and traditional arts. His legacy spans oil painting, tilework, miniature design, and carpet art—leaving an indelible mark on Iran’s cultural history. He mentored many significant figures, including Mahmoud Farshchian, Ali Akbar Sanati, Javad Rostam Shirazi and many others, profoundly influencing the trajectory of 20th- century Persian art.

Click here to read Issa Bahadori’s full biography

Isa Bahadori Artworks Collection :

A Life Devoted to Art, Culture, and Scholarship

Academic Brilliance and Early Dedication

Maryam’s journey is a powerful continuation of her family’s artistic heritage. After excelling in mathematics and physics–focused secondary school, she made a bold and uncommon transition into the arts. Her passion led her to secure a place in the specialised BA program in Rug and Carpet Studies—a rigorous, anthropologically informed curriculum focusing on Persian textiles.
Graduating top of her class with honours, she completed a four-year program with a dissertation titled: “A Historical and Cultural Study of Bijar Handwoven Carpets and Textiles, with an Analysis of Their Potential Impact on the Market.” This early research was praised for its originality, depth, and market-oriented vision.

Following graduation, she was recruited as a rug designer by Miri Iranian Knots—a historic and prestigious carpet house founded in the 1820s, known for maintaining the purity of traditional craftsmanship. During her time there, Maryam designed several exceptional pieces, including rugs commissioned for a cathedral in Germany.

Advanced Study and Cross-Disciplinary Expertise

Motivated by a desire to explore visual culture more broadly, Maryam pursued a master’s degree in visual communication at the Tehran University of Arts, Iran’s leading institution for the arts. Her thesis, “Visual Investigation into the Motifs of Tribal Handwoven Carpets in Fars Province (Qashqai),” blended ethnographic insight, field research, and visual theory. The experience not only broadened her artistic understanding but also laid the conceptual groundwork for her future brand, Pars Rug Gallery.

During her postgraduate studies, she simultaneously worked as a lecturer at several Iranian universities, demonstrating both her academic acumen and her commitment to nurturing the next generation of designers. She also continued to collaborate with independent producers from various regions across Iran, expanding her portfolio of original rug designs.

Entrepreneurship and International Recognition

Maryam’s entrepreneurial spirit, combined with her deep knowledge of Oriental rugs and textiles, her perspective on visual communication design and branding, her understanding of modern technologies, and her self-taught expertise in digital marketing, culminated in the founding of A&M Rugs Ltd. in the United Kingdom, alongside her husband. Building on their shared knowledge and passion, they went on to establish Pars Rug Gallery, which has since evolved into an internationally respected institution for antique rug collection, design innovation, and cultural conservation.

Pars Rug Gallery curates a globally sourced collection of rare and collectible rugs. Its specialized workshop is dedicated to:

Beyond curation and craftsmanship, the gallery’s visual identity bears Maryam’s signature. She designed the brand identity and website frontend, translating the richness of rug artistry into a refined digital experience that reflects the gallery’s ethos of authenticity and elegance.
With nearly 25 years of hands-on experience, Maryam is regarded as one of the leading authorities on Persian and European rugs. Her influence bridges art history, design, anthropology, and education.