On the investigation of the relationship between imagination and wonder painting in Iranian-Islamic painting

Problem definition: 

Wonder painting is one of the obscure and deep-rooted terms used in relation with the artistic and literary traditions of various nations and civilizations. In this study attempts have been made to discuss and emphasize the analysis of the relationships between theoretical foundations and judicial principles governing the tradition of wonder painting in Iranian painting with a focus on “imagination”. The judicial foundations refer to theoretical origins derived from deep-rooted religious, ritual and cultural concepts in the context of theoretical knowledge and mysticism. The question of this research is as follows: “What is the relationship between imagination and wonder painting in Iranian-Islamic painting?”

The purpose of this study is to achieve a specific manner in explaining the relationship between illusion and wonder painting in Iranian art and to analyze this tradition from the perspective of “imagination”.

The present study is of a fundamental type and has been prepared by reviewing previous researches in the field of history, literature, cultural studies and history of Iranian painting with reference to historical studies and descriptive and analytical methods, taken from library and electronic resources.

Wonder painting in Iranian-Islamic art has clear foundations about “imagination” and “imaginary” functions in the opinions of sages such as “Farabi”, “Ibn Sina”, “Sheikh Ishraq”, “Sadr al-Muta'allehin” and others, and is manifested in the artworks of Iranian-Islamic painting.