Comparative Study of Demons Painting in the Painting Schools of Ilkhani and Timurid Eras

The confrontation between good and evil forces, the division of the world into two realms of light and darkness, and the belief in the permanent quarrel between Ahoorian and Devilish phenomena, is a common belief among all folks and nations, a struggle that continues till the world is set up, and the ultimate victory belongs to the light front. Demons, who are the inhabitants of the darkness, are abnormal, black creatures with long, hog-like teeth, thick and black lips, and occasionally blue eyes. The body of these cannibals is covered with thick hair and they have several heads, horns, tails and large ears with a pair of wings. Demons are one of the most devilish creations in Iranian mythology, whose main goal is to eliminate Ahoorian creatures. Ferdowsi has shown this idea in his Shahnameh; it is even seen in the epic poems afterward. Meanwhile, Demons, which represents the devil and enemy, is shown as naked animal figures with horns and tail, possessing primitive weapons. The painters have somehow emphasized the superiority of the creation of the goddess against devilish creation by displaying these features. The main goal of the research is to study the role of the Demons in Ilkhani and Timurid eras (Herat and Shiraz) and their differences in their images. The main questions of this research are: 1. what are the characteristics of Demons in the paintings of the Ilkhani and Timurid eras? 2. How can the difference between the face of the Demons in Ilkhani and Timurid periods be explained? The results of the study showed that in the painting of this era, Demons are depicted with the animal nature in the shape of human body. On the other hand, the difference in the shapes of Demons in these schools is first drawn from the metaphorical aspect of Shahnameh, and then the personal perception of the painter and his interpretation of the text, the artistic style of his era, the cultural conditions and the school in which he grew. This research has been accomplished by a descriptive-analytical and comparative method, based on library studies.