Examination of Visual Shia Symbols in the Iranian Teahouse Paintings

As one of the artistic forms deep-rooted in society, the Iranian teahouse paintings were created by painters who often had no academic education. Each one of these painters was expert in different fields such as tile making, plaster moldings, etc. In these paintings, one can see religious and non-religious themes painted as simple and unaffected as possible. Under the influence of naghlan (the traditional narrators of Shahnameh who narrated the national, religious and mythical stories), the teahouse painters painted their impression of what they had heard with the help of their imagination. In this research, those themes and elements have been addressed invoking Shia beliefs symbolically. Among these elements are different items such as certain entities, animals and colors the presence of which imply specific meanings and purposes. This research aimed to address the visual Shia symbols in the Iranian teahouse paintings. The data were gathered based on library sources and analyzed descriptively. First, Shia elements and how and why they were used in Iranian arts were examined and then the Iranian teahouse paintings were specifically studied. The results indicated that the roots date back to Al-e-Bouye dynasty; they were Shia and followers of Imam Ali (P.B.U.H.). Such symbols and elements raised the national spirits and kept the sense of patriotism.