Ornamental Motifs in the Paintings of “Qabus Nameh”

The book of “Qabus Nameh” is one of the most momentous manuscripts related to Persian-Islamic art which beholds illustrations created using the simplest background arrangements; however, due to the use of novel and exquisite patterns applied on the clothing and other applied elements of the manuscript, the artwork is filled with attractive and decorative features. Although, the motifs of this manuscript are limited in terms of variety and type, ample compositions and the presence of all visual elements have created a unique variation that has the closest resemblance to ancient Persian art predominantly Sassanid art. Furthermore, in regard to its creation in the eleventh century AD/fifth century Hegira, the unrivaled art of Islamic artists in creating remarkable pieces of artwork cannot be disregarded. A research paper focusing exclusively on the ornamentations of the “Qabus Nameh” has never been prepared before; hence, in this paper, by applying a descriptive and analytic approach seeks to classify, understand and analyze the application of the mentioned motifs in the “Qabus Nameh” book in terms of visual art illustration. According to the results of this research, although, the illustrations of the book are very similar to the previous versions of ancient Persian art, they have successfully adapted themselves within Islamic principles and have gained a unique place as a creative element in the technique of abstractedness.