A Study of Two Salam-e Nowruzi Paintings of Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al-Din Shah in Qajar Era from the Perspective of Leveling and Sharpening Principles of Gestalt

This article attempts to study one of the Salam-e Nowruzi canvases of Fath-Ali Shah attributed to apprentices of Abdallah Khan (preserved in Robert Finan collection) in comparison with the Salam-e Nowruzi canvas of Naser al-Din Shah by Sani ol Molk (preserved in Golsetan Palace). Salam-e Nowruzi canvases of Fath-Ali Shah are usually defined in four-piece format. The reason for choosing Robert Finan’s case was that most studies have shown that the entourage on the side tablets of the main frame is pictured in a similar attire as the king in most cases of Saf-e Salam of Fath-Ali Shah. However, in some other cases such as the one under study here, the entourage is dressed differently reducing their similarity to Fath-Ali Shah. Nonetheless, the results of the studies show that Saf-e Salam canvas of Fath-Ali Shah repeats leveling by emphasizing the similarity of the king and the entourage in shape, color, and spatial orientation, particularly in the central frame. It is as if the presence of the king is repeated in others and only spatial location in the picture and the larger size to some extent have differentiated him from others. Indeed, contrary to the first hypothesis, the painter attains a kind of contrast by relying on leveling to a large extent and sharpening to a lower extent in order to achieve his main objective which is glorification of the king. On the other hand, similar to the first hypothesis, the painter attempts to highlight Sultan by emphasizing the difference of the king in shape, color, and size which are defined in the form of very large dimensions, countenance, exclusive attire, and the gold color in Saf-e Salam of Naser al-Din Shah. These differences are accentuated through distinguished location, placement on the peacock throne and of course different spatial orientation with full-face view. Moreover, the large size of Sultan is confirmed not only by the presence of the sons beside the throne but also the special layout format in the Naseri Salam-e Nowruzi canvas which is defined in seven-piece format. The difference is emphasized vis-à-vis other factors; however, when considered separately, it will appear as to fade the large dimensions of Fath-Ali Shah when compared in Saf-e Salam. Therefore, although leveling in the case of Fath-Ali Shah and sharpening in the case of Naser al-Din Shah become more influential, both are successful in exaggerating the status of the king by establishing a kind of difference between Sultan and the entourage. In addition to the testability of Gestalt view, it shows that the painters in the periods under the rules of Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al-Din, despite sharing a specific objective that is the glorification and adoration of the status of king, each achieved their objective by following different approaches in their representations. The painters of the period under the rule of Fath-Ali Shah, Abdallah Khan and his followers, highlighted the nuances by emphasizing leveling, whereas the painter of the period under the rule of Naser al-Din Shah, Sani ol Molk, focused on the differences and attempted accentuation altogether from the beginning.