Representation of Naturalism in Qajar Murals of Seyed Javadi Mansion

A mural is beyond painting on the wall canvas. In this process, the artist, choosing the correct concept, space application, wall location, and other features, tries to make a stable relationship between room, design, wall, and environment, and create an integrated and high-quality space. Mural has long been associated with human societies; a trace of the association that began with wall paintings in caves, and as they pass through various eras of art and history, they are nowadays portrayed in a variety of fields including architecture and urbanism. This art peaked during the Qajar period in Iran that was the place of the confrontation between the clash of tradition and modernity. Seyed Javadi's mansion in Tehran, as a legacy of the Qajar period, has also benefited from murals in its interior decoration. Considering the presence of structure and visual elements of naturalism style in the murals of Seyed Javadi mansion, it seems that the creation of these works was influenced by this style. With regard to this issue and with the aim of discovering this relationship, the present study, while describing the foundation and features of the school of naturalism, has examined the common visual elements and concepts in the murals of this building and naturalist style paintings. As a result, the structure and visual components of these works are completely in line with the patterns of the style of naturalism. Considering that the above-mentioned paintings are custom-made on the wall with the opinion of the employer, a member of the ruling class, it seems that the owners of this building, under the influence of the ruling spirit of the society, imitate it in full and without considering hidden concepts. In this structure, (so-called postcard) they have in mind some of the currents in the West, including naturalism.