Azar Bigdeli
Azar Bigdeli | |
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Manuscript of Azar Bigdeli's Atashkadeh-ye Azar. Copy made in Qajar Iran, dated 1824 | |
| Born | 7 February 1722 |
| Died | 1781 (aged 58–59) |
| Pen name | Azar |
| Occupation | Anthologist, poet |
| Notable work | Atashkadeh-ye Azar |
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Hajji Lotf-Ali Beg Azar Bigdeli, better known as Azar Bigdeli (Persian: آذر بیگدلی; "Azar" was his pen name; 1722–1781), was an Iranian anthologist and poet. He is principally known for his biographical anthology of some 850 Persian-writing poets, the Atashkadeh-ye Azar (lit. 'Azar's Fire Temple'), which he dedicated to Iranian ruler Karim Khan Zand (r. 1751–1779). Written in Persian, the Persian studies academic J.T.P. de Bruijn considers it "the most important Persian anthology of the eighteenth century". Azar was a leading figure of the bazgasht-e adabi (lit. 'literary return') movement, which sought to return the stylistic standards of early Persian poetry.