Flowers (1953, destroyed)

Abdul Ghafoor Breshna (Pashto: عبدالغفور بريښنا) (10 April 1907 – 4 January 1974) was an Afghan painter, music composer, poet, and film director. He is regarded as one of the countrys most talented artists. He also composed the former national anthem of Afghanistan that was used during the 1970s.

Breshana was born as Abdul Ghafoor on 10 April 1907 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The word Breshna means lightning, which he added as a last name. In 1921, he was amongst the students who were sent to Germany for higher education by Amanullah Khan. He studied painting and lithography at Academy of Fine Arts, Munich.

He died on 4 January 1974 in his birth city of Kabul. Most of his artwork was lost or destroyed during the many years of war in Afghanistan.

Breshna composed the Afghan national anthem that was used from 1973 to 1978.


The Char Chatta Bazaar of Kabul (1932)


Portrait of Dost Mohammad Khan, date unknown.


Portrait of Dost Mohammad Khan, date unknown