نشریه پیکره
پیاپی 33 (پاییز 1402)

Problem Definition: 

The Lilian carpet is one of the important carpet brands of Iran and Khomeyn in the Qajar era, about which there has been little research to date. Actually, no trace of the popular Lilian carpets can be found in the domestic markets of Iran, and the popular Reyhan design is woven in a limited number in Khomeyn. Having this in mind, the present study seeks to investigate the two Lilian and Reyhan carpets from Khomeyn, Iran. The research question is: "What are the technical and aesthetic dimensions (structure, design, and color) of Lilian and Reyhan carpets?"

 This study aims to analyze Lilian and Reyhan designs in terms of technical indicators and aesthetic features for better identification of these carpets.

 This is a qualitative, developmental, and descriptive-analytical study. Data were collected using the desk-based method as well as through searches on reliable websites.

 The findings of this study show that Lilian carpets are often woven without medallions and corners with a unique structure comprising flowers and bushes, altar- and crescent-shaped wreaths as well as symmetrical and upside-down vases, and usually a wreath or a flower bush has replaced the space of the corner. Medallion-Corner and In-and-Out-Fish designs are also seen in these carpets. Lilian carpets contain plant motifs, but they have no animal (bird and non-bird) or human motifs. However, the Band-e Reyhan (Reyhan Dam) design is one design of Reyhan village with two important motifs, namely the important motif of the dam (pool) and the ibex motif, which reflects the ibex motifs found in the ancient petroglyphs of Teymareh region.

Problem Definition: 

Although more than half a century has passed since the emergence of the Saqqakhaneh movement in Iranian modern art, it is still a subject of debate and disagreement as a symbol of modernism. Saqqakhaneh artists have drawn on ritualistic patterns, folk art symbols, and the artistic heritage of the past, particularly the visual elements of traditional Iranian calligraphy and formalistic aspects of the alphabet. This research focuses on the historical analysis, evolution, and visual language of works influenced by the calligraphy of Saqqakhaneh artists.

  The present study aims to conduct a comparative study of the artworks of prominent Saqqakhaneh artists influenced by traditional calligraphy and ancient works in a historical context (from the Qajar period to the mid-1950s) in terms of style, execution method, and attention to the visual values of the script.

 An analytical-historical method has been employed to achieve the desired results. Data collection, images, and documents, as well as the verification of the authenticity of Saqqakhaneh artists' works and ancient works, have been conducted by referring to sources such as museums, private collections, and several official websites. The statistical population of the study includes calligraphers from the Qajar period and Saqqakhaneh artists in visual arts.

  Some prominent artists and leaders of the Saqqakhaneh movement have created works inspired by traditional calligraphy and the script writing method (specifically calligraphic pieces from the Qajar era). This process, conducted with a formalistic approach and in contrast to the traditional mission of calligraphy, exhibits prominent features of abstraction in these works. The works of this group of artists, while possessing an independent identity, are considered an extension of the experiences of calligraphers during the Qajar era. The transition from tradition to modernity in the process of creating calligraphic designs in the Saqqakhaneh movement is a significant transformation in the history of Iranian modern art.

Problem Definition: 

When the Abbasids came to power, the capital was moved from Damascus to Baghdad (near Tisphon, the Sassanid capital), and due to the political support of the Iranians to the Abbasids and the geographical proximity of the two capitals, the characteristics of Iranian art influenced the Abbasid aesthetic views. On the other hand, the Islamic territory during the Abbasid era also included many Christian areas of the Eastern Church. With the arrival of the Christian politician to the Abbasid court, the images of the Abbasid caliphs appeared next to the Christian politicians in the royal palaces of the Abbasids, and in this period we witness the initial integration of Islam in the motifs of Islamic-Christian artworks. Regarding the emergence and manifestation of religious sanctity in the artworks of this period, a halo around the heads of individuals in the Baghdad school is prominent. The key question of the current research is: “How to assign a halo to people in the pictures and artworks of the Abbasid period, and with what approach did the artists design the halo around people”?

 The present research aims to find the way of representing the halo and, accordingly, identifying the sanctity or political, religious, and business superiority among the Abbasid caliphs.

 The current research is qualitative and is conducted based on the descriptive-analytical method. The method of collecting samples is based on the library data. The studied samples are selected from the illustrated books of the Baghdad School of the Abbasid period.

  The result of the present research, based on the studied samples, shows that although the halo around the head is reserved for people who hold positions and have political or religious power, by drawing the halo, the artist of the Abbasid period attempted to categorize people, including the ruler, and classified them into scientific, religious, political, and social groups. Moreover, to highlight each of the prominent people in the mentioned fields, the artist has limited and illustrated them with a different halo. Accordingly, people have a halo due to their status, social position, and jobs.

Problem Definition: 

In his philosophical components, Mulla Sadra expressed elegance in such a way that the influence of these thoughts was reflected in the artworks of the Safavid era, especially in the "Isfahan Painting School". The most important artistic trend of this school was formed by Reza Abbasi and his students; in their works, motifs and topics related to the surrounding world and the cultural-artistic society of that time can be seen. In terms of the use of visual elements as well as the content, it corresponds to the philosophical-mystical components of Mulla Sadra, especially in the viewpoints related to beauty and love. The paintings and Muraqqa pieces attributed to Reza Abbasi and his followers form the statistical community of the present research, which are studied to evaluate how the "philosophical components of Mulla Sadra" appear in the paintings of the Isfahan school. The question of the research is: "What is the relationship between the philosophical components of Mulla Sadra and Isfahan school painting in terms of elegance by focusing on Isfahan school painting works"?

 The present study aims to discover the elegance hidden in the illustrated works of the Isfahan school of painting and to match them with Mulla Sadra's views on beauty.

 This study applies a descriptive-analytical method with a comparative approach, which was done by collecting library-documentary data. The statistical population includes a selection of the most distinguished paintings and Muraqqas of the Isfahan school, which were created by Reza Abbasi and his students.

The obtained data shows the elements used in the paintings and Muraqqas attributed to Reza Abbasi and his students are a reflection of elegance in both form and content, which can be traced to the mystical philosophical components of Mulla Sadra. In these works, the external and internal beauties, some of which are shown as codes and symbols, show the social-cultural situation of the Safavid period and the philosophical-mystical thoughts of that time. In other words, the works of Reza Abbasi and his students, as an outstanding example of the Isfahan school of painting, are related to the components of Mullah Sadra in terms of elegance.

Problem Definition: 

Color, as one of the important visual elements, has been the Safavid school artists’ focus. The numerous presence of women motifs in «Tahmasap Shahnameh» shows the high status of women in this period. Therefore, utilizing Max Loescher's approach to color psychology, we can study women's clothes in «Tahmasap Shahnameh». The present research is trying to answer these questions: According to Max Loescher's «color psychology» theory, what relationship did the artist use to draw women's clothes in «Tahmasp Shahnameh»? and “Which of the cold or warm colors has the artist been more influenced by”?

 This research aims to identify the psychological ideas of the Safavid artist in drawing the color of women's clothes in «Tahmasp Shahnameh» based on Max Loescher's theory of color psychology.

 This research is qualitative and its method is descriptive-analytical. The data collection has been done using a library-based approach and through note-taking and reading images and tables as well as data analysis. The sampling method has been purposeful and due to the frequent presence of female figures, among the 258 paintings of «Tahmasp Shahnameh», 2 paintings have been selected for study using the mentioned theory.

 According to Max Loescher's color psychology, the artist of the Safavid era used the relationship of balance between cold and warm colors in using the element of color for women's clothes; in other words, he used both cold and warm color groups to color women's clothes. Regarding the current theory, the researched paintings are more colorful than warm colors in terms of color variety and the use of colors, and this shows that the artist of this period was more influenced by cold colors (blue, green). According to the mentioned theory, gray color, which is considered a neutral color, was not used for women's clothes, and textiles were also used to show the status of women.

Problem Definition:

Carpet motifs, like other motifs, are full of mystery, structural complexity, and symbolic meanings. Some of these motifs have changed over time, and some of them have survived in climate, culture, or societies with a specific culture throughout history and are still connected to their origins. According to what has been said, the reason for the permanence and continuity of these motifs during historical periods in various contexts is a question that will be answered by a case study of nomadic carpets in Bahram Gur of Neyriz and Qashqai regions in Fars province.

This research aims to recognize the reasons for the continuity of nomadic carpet patterns in different historical periods.

 The approach of this research is qualitative, and its findings are presented using library and field sources as well as visual evidence in a historical analytical way.

 Social and lifestyle alterations are one effective factor in artistic changes. Despite the independence of nomadic societies from urban societies for many centuries, the need for urban societies for nomadic carpets has caused occasional interference in the motifs of some nomadic carpets throughout history. The other reason for motif alterations has been various exchanges and communication or cultural encounters; however, the stability of the material facilities and no change in the lifestyle of the nomadic community over many centuries has caused some of the carpet motifs of the nomadic community to be more stable throughout the historical periods.