Iranian artists throughout the twentieth century have routinely found inspiration from home and abroad. Eclecticism, a feature of ancient Persian art-for example the architecture and bas-relief sculpture at Persepolis, The Achaemenid shrine dating from 2,500 years ago, as well as the culture and the people-, has remained a core quality of Iranian painting. This is verified in the variety of subjects, painting styles, and colors in paitings by Mo Jamal.

Far from home, wonted Iranian eclecticism has acquired two new dimensions. First, Iranian artists may depict subjects indigenous to their new lands with Iranian touches. Second, those artists may continue to depict their homeland and its culture, but now from memory, perhaps with nostalgia, perhaps romantically.