The Comparison of the Designs in Safavid Nazem and Qajar Mihrabi Carpets

Carpet holds a special place among Iranian and Islamic arts as an Iranian art. Historical studies show that the design and role of the carpet are one of the main issues and concerns of the Iranian artist, and this handwoven carpet was not woven solely for the purpose of practical support, and the beauty and visual effect were also considered along with its efficiency. In different eras, the tendency to use different designs and motifs in carpets has been common, and over time, the richness of designs and patterns of Iranian carpets has been added. Carpet weaving was at its most perfect and brilliant during the Safavid period, and the artists who worked during this period have left behind their unique works. The Qashqai carpet weavers created the carpet designed by Nazem, which is a rich work. A few centuries later, during the Qajar period, due to Iran’s relationship with European countries, changes occurred in Iranian art, especially carpet weaving, and the Mihrabi design is one of these examples. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the characteristics of design and pattern in the samples of Nazem and Mihrabi carpets, and this question is raised, what are the similarities and differences between the Safavid Nazem carpet and the Qajar Mihrabi carpet in terms of motifs, and what is the use of each one? In this research, an analysis and comparison of the design structure of Nazem Safavid and Qajar Mihrabi carpets have been conducted, identifying commonalities and differences between the two mentioned carpets. The method of collecting materials is library-based and its approach is descriptive-analytical. Based on the results of the research, it was found that the overall design of Nazem carpets of the Safavid period is very similar to Mihrabi carpets, and the difference is in its decorations, dimensions and use. The design, form, and additional motifs of Qajar Mihrabi carpets are more diverse when compared to Nazem and Mihrabi designs.