An Analysis of signs of power in the pictorial carpets of the Qajar era

Carpets in Iran have always had a function beyond a mere hand-woven carpet. Examining the designs and motifs of this valuable Iranian handicraft, we can say that the designs and structures have some kind of roots in the culture of this land. The carpet can also be called the cultural identity of Iran. Qajar carpets are one of the richest artistic treasures of Iran. One of the most interesting functions of Iranian carpets in the Qajar period is to use it as a medium to express the image of people and princes. During this period, kings in various arts have taken great political advantage to show their authority and domination to the Iranian people. In this research, we seek to examine the symbols and signs that directly or indirectly show the concept of power in the carpet. In line with this, in this study, four pictorial carpets from the Qajar era were investigated using a descriptive-analytical method. This investigation was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method, and the data were collected through library research and close observation. The results indicate that the carpet was considered and used by the Qajar kings as a new medium to convey the concept of power. It can be said that pictorial carpets have been one of the preferred visual methods to convey the political goals of the Qajar kings. Since there is a close relationship between art and politics in this period, kings wanted to maintain power and gain legitimacy in society, using images of kings in the carpets or in other pictorial symbols such as a bird in the hands of the king, or a crown and an umbrella and feathers or the motif of Bothe as visual symbols to convey the concepts of power.