Reflection of Feminine Erotic in the Safavid Period on the Isfahan School Paintings

Early eleventh century A.H. / seventeenth century A.D., the Safavid period is one of the significant times in the history of Iran socially and culturally. Isfahan city and the court were the places for offering immoral behaviors without any restriction publicly, such as female sexual pleasure in the social sphere. Despite the common tradition in Persian painting, erotic paintings with unconventional sexual themes and related female acts were prevalent. This study tried to identify the reason for the prevalence of these paintings in the Isfahan school in the Safavid period based on Reflection theory in the sociology of art. The study aims to find the causes of this phenomenon's prevalence in the paintings of this period. This study hypothesized social conditions involved in the prevalence of these paintings in the art of that period that Safavid king's politics in Isfahan city affect it. This descriptive-analytical study was carried out by collecting information in the library and studying visual documents (painting). The paintings of this period that contain feminine sexual themes and acts were the research samples, purposefully selected. This study showed that the concrete and customary conditions of female sexual status in the social context of Isfahan affected the prevalence of these paintings in the Safavid period. The role of Shah-centered (absolute monarchy) approaches in the Safavid government should be considered. The court prevalent the immoral behaviors in society due to the Shah's personal interests, economic, political-military benefits. This current eroticism in society became ordinary in the paintings and presented in the thematic, visual, and women’s role characteristics in the works considerably.