Behjat Sadr, a modernist painter of Iran, was born in Khordad 1303 SH in Arak. Her family moved to Tehran in 1309 SH. After finishing high school in 1320 SH, she entered Daneshsaraye Moghadamati, an institute of training teachers for elementary school. She took up professional painting after the encouragements of one of his teachers. After finishing her education, she became a painting teacher. She was the painting teacher of Forough Farrokhzad, the influential poet of Iran. She applied in the University of Fine Arts in 1327 SH. She says about her experience at University: “It was really useful for me. Before university, I took private classes with Mr. Petgar. But the university provided an environment for me; A lively environment, where everyone was working together and the painters and the architects collaborated. I went to the university early in the morning and left my stuff. Then I went to school to teach. Later, I returned to university to study. I managed to become a top student in such circumstances. I also won a scholarship in France.”
Behjat Sadr won the prize of San Vito competition and one of her artworks was accepted in the Venice Biennale along with works from other young Iranian painters. She began teaching Iranian painting in university in 1339 SH. In 1341 SH, she won the prize of the third painting biennale of Tehran, and her works were sent to the thirty-first Venice Biennale at the same time.
According to renowned artists, even though she worked in Rome for a while, and it had a major role in enhancing her experience, but the fact was that the artist had brought to Italy her Iranian understanding, history and knowledge of material and value of symbolism. She had a strong bond with the traditions of her home country and that is why she was challenged when she encountered the European art. The wood she used in her recent works resembles this struggle. Behjat Sadr saw in objects, nature, trees and texture forms of figures. There are traces of fans, shades and objects she incorporated into her works. This pioneer modernist artist died on Mordad 19, 1388 SH in the south of France.