Comparing Form and Motifs of Ghajar Mosque-School's Flower Pots Motifs with Those in Safavi Schools (With an Emphasis on Mosque-School Motifs in New Sepahsalar)

Flower pot is one of the frequently used motifs in Qajar period. This decoration is abundantly found in carvings and tiling decoration of the mosque-schools in Qajar period. There is also the flower pot in previous eras schools such as Safavid period schools , but the flower pots used in Safavid period schools differ from the flower pots used in the Qajar period mosque- schools. However, this study aims to investigate and compare flower pot motifs in mosques and schools of the Qajar and Safavid period, to evaluate the changes in these motifs which resulted from cultural developments, and to identify changes and innovations occurring on flower pot motifs in the Qajar period under the influence of western culture and art as well. This paper is a descriptive - analytic study. The library and field studies were used to investigate the flower pots motifs in mosques and schools of the Qajar period and compare them to flower pot motifs in schools of the Safavid period. The findings show that the flower pot motifs which were carved in Qajar period’s mosques and schools have more delicacy and intricacy than flower pot motifs in Safavid period’s schools and the realism and naturalism influenced by western culture and art were seen in them. Also, the main component of Qajar period’s mosques-schools tiling decoration is flowery flower pot motifs in various designs including plate, bowl, and motifs of birds. In addition, the new Sepahsalar (Shahid Motahari) mosque-school included abstract motifs combined with oval frame, geometric motifs, arabesque and plant motifs, and new motifs like candlesticks, which were innovative. Therefore, it may be said that none of schools and mosques in the Safavid and Qajar period, these motifs were included.