نشریه پیکره
پیاپی 38 (زمستان 1403)

Bahman Mohasses is one of the greatest leading artists in Iran's modernist art, who lived in politically, socially, and culturally tense periods. Expressing issues such as "condemnation of existence", "passivity", and "isolation" are among the most important themes of his works of art. In this research, by adopting a sociological approach and theoretically expanding the basic concepts of "Habitus", "Field", "Capital" and "Theory of Action", an attempt was made to shed light on one aspect of the reasons for the distinction in the works of this artist. Therefore, the current research, focusing on the authentic and recent opinions of the famous French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu, seeks to answer two fundamental questions: "What were the social contexts affecting the formation of Bahman Mohasses's artistic habitus", and "What were the social contexts affecting the level of acceptance of Bahman Mohasses's artworks by the audience of his works?" The current research aims to find social factors influencing the distinction of specific works using the concept of Bourdieu's action. Accordingly, this study is fundamental and qualitative.

This research is qualitative and fundamental. The method is descriptive-analytical, and the data collection was done using a library-based technique.

According to Bourdieu, people's habitus is built over time and based on social conditions. Thus, Mohasses's specific personal, social, and family experiences have formed his artistic character. On the other hand, the social contexts of the period in question had caused the formation of cultural fields that were different from the artistic capital of the artist, and this caused a low level of acceptance of his works by society.

According to the research conducted, it can be concluded that individual, social, and family experiences played a role in forming Mohasses's artistic character. On the other hand, the social contexts of the period in question had caused the formation of cultural fields that were different from the artistic capital of the artist, and this caused a low level of acceptance of his works by society.

The illustrated manuscript of the “Qavam Shahnameh”, preserved in the Reza Abbasi Museum, includes 38 miniature paintings. This Shahnameh was written by Mohammad Qavam Shirazi in 1000 A.H., but the name of the painter(s) is not mentioned. This artwork is among the manuscripts that have received less attention and is almost unknown. In this research, an attempt is made to gain a more accurate understanding of this manuscript by relying on historical evidence and structural examinations of the miniature paintings, as well as their artistic and stylistic quality. The current research aims to introduce this work and identify the structural and visual characteristics of this artistic masterpiece, as well as to more precisely identify this work, based on evidence and documentation, regarding its stylistic and locational identity. The fundamental questions of the present research are: “What is the painting style of the Qavam Shahnameh”? and “What visual characteristics and values does it possess”?

Research Method

The present research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method, and the findings were obtained through library resources, databases, and the archive of the "Reza Abbasi" Museum. In this study, several Shahnamehs from the Shiraz painting style and two Shahnamehs from the Qazvin style, which were somewhat contemporary with the "Qavam Shahnameh", have been examined and compared.

Although the Qavam Shahnameh is considered to belong to the Qazvin painting style, the findings indicate that this manuscript bears many similarities with other Shahnamehs of the Shiraz style and follows the tradition of "Shiraz miniature painting". The identity of the calligrapher of this manuscript has also been examined.

The Qavam Shahnameh is among the Shahnamehs which include all the characteristics of the Shiraz style. This Shahnameh bears many similarities with other Shahnamehs from Shiraz, especially the Peck and Britain Shahnamehs, and they were likely created by the same painters. Also, the calligrapher is Muhammad Qavam Shirazi, who is one of the prolific calligraphers of Shiraz and created all his works in this city. The findings of the present research indicate that the Qavam Shahnameh belongs to the Shiraz style and was probably produced in the professional workshops of Shiraz, and contrary to the common viewpoint, it has no relation to the Qazvin style. The common features found in the miniature paintings of the Qavam Shahnameh and other works of the Qazvin style do not belong solely to this Shahnameh; they are also present in other Shahnamehs from Shiraz. The reason for this is that Shirazi painters were influenced by painters from the capital (Qazvin).

Understanding fundamental concepts in architecture is not possible without considering the cultural and social values of humans. Since humans are social beings, they require four types of relationships for interaction: "God," "Self," "World," and "Fellow Beings". The nature of these interactions shapes the relationship with others. In this context, solitude, as one of the fundamental concepts related to the existential dimensions of human beings and one of the most important qualitative features of the environment, can provide a suitable ground for these interactions. This research has been conducted to examine the concept of solitude in Rumi's thought and answer the question, “What are the instances of solitude in Rumi's architectural elements and decorations”?

The present study is fundamental and qualitative research, utilizing meta-analysis and comparative analysis methods. In addition to investigating documents, the data collection method involves exploring theories and viewpoints, interviews, and open-ended questionnaires. For the analysis of qualitative data, coding, and examining the frequency of codes extracted from the interviews, the NVivo software is used.

Based on the theoretical model of the concept of solitude in Rumi's poetry and the logical reasoning strategy derived from the research findings, the fourfold interaction in Rumi's thought emphasizes four states of solitude: "solitude with oneself," "solitude with God," "solitude with a confidant," and "solitude in the company".

Based on the results of this research, the common concepts of solitude in the thought of Rumi and architectural elements and decorations include components such as "imagination," "the coexistence of light and darkness," "void" and "empty space," "the vertical axis of the universe," and "the property of reflection" as concepts related to "solitude with God," and the components of "inner and outer" and "loneliness" in relation to "solitude with oneself" and "intimacy" in relation to solitude with others and the community.

Lacquered boxes, during the Qajar period, known as Qapan boxes due to their practical use, were functional items painted and adorned with various themes. Custom functional boxes were of higher quality and importance, made to order for the royal court. One of these exquisitely painted boxes is preserved in the British Museum. The main subject of the painting spans the length of the rectangle, depicting the Throne of Solomon (PBUH), while the secondary subject is the width of the box, illustrating a royal hunting scene. This box is one of the rare, and intact examples belonging to the early Qajar period, and its identification can serve as a complete and rare specimen to understand this art in the Qajar period. The question of the present research is “What themes have been painted in different sections inside and outside this box, and how are the themes of the images related to each other”? The aim of the present study is to examine the structure of the painted scale box with the theme of the Thrown of Solomon (PBUH), which includes the structure and themes worked on both inside and outside and familiarizes us with this type of box and its practical aspect.

This research is qualitative and descriptive-analytical, utilizing library (documentary) methods for data collection. The statistical population of the present study is a mirrored box numbered 192705251 in the British Museum, belonging to the Qajar period. Data collection was conducted using library methods and tools such as note-taking and downloading internet versions of images. The purposeful sampling method was chosen by examining the lacquered painted scale box depicting the Thrown of Solomon (PBUH).

The findings of the present study indicate that this painted box demonstrates the integration of artistic achievements and life, introducing religious themes as the main subjects depicted on the box. The paintings on this box share stylistic similarities with other aspects of the box, but differ in terms of content, having been selected and executed with consideration of the box's functional aspect. The semantic relationship of the themes inside and outside the box is different from each other, but they share the same artistic style. In this box, three themes are observed: On the lid of the box, the religious theme of the Thrown of Solomon, on the sides of the box, the cultural theme of hunting during the Qajar period, and inside the box, the mystical theme of Flower and Bird and the decorative elements of Iranian art.

The themes used in various parts of the box have been influenced by the art of Qajar court painting. The systematic design and the use of images for the box, the use of hunting motifs for the box's horizontal and vertical borders, and the use of traditional Iranian motifs for the box's interior divisions are among these intentionally selected themes, clearly reflecting the art of the Qajar period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a significant force in reshaping various aspects of social, economic, and industrial life, making it a hallmark of technological advancement and future-oriented thinking. It appears that the domain of Iranian carpet design is also on the brink of transformation under the influence of this emerging power. While scholars have long debated the tension between artistic creativity and technological innovation, this study explicitly focuses on how carpet designers adapt to the advent of AI-based software capable of modifying and designing carpet patterns. The primary aim is to explore how Iranian carpet designers perceive their career prospects in the face of AI-driven design software. The central question is: How will the future of professionals in this field unfold, given the presence of AI-based design tools?

This research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis through descriptive-analytical methods backed by library research and field studies. The researchers used behavioral analysis tools, observation, and surveys to evaluate the capabilities of four AI platforms currently available for carpet design. Subsequently, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to 132 prominent Iranian carpet designers, of whom only 50 participated.

The results reveal that, at the time of the study, only one AI software could modify existing carpet patterns, yet it lacked the sophistication to serve as a genuinely creative assistant. Despite being positioned as innovative design tools, the other available AI-based software solutions had not undergone sufficient machine learning training to be effective in the intricate field of carpet design. Additionally, the examination of experts in this field reveals that they have either not utilized AI-based software or, if they have, it has only been for resizing and modifying existing patterns. None have encountered a software solution capable of creating carpet designs from start to finish. Furthermore, 57% of the designers view AI as merely a tool to assist their work rather than a potential replacement for their profession.

AI-based software in carpet design can currently be seen as a tool that facilitates the design process. Whether or not AI will eventually replace designers in this field, there is an immediate opportunity to develop AI platforms that can function as design assistants. Such platforms can expedite tasks like design, color selection, pattern adjustment, and resizing—tasks that designers find particularly time-consuming and complex.

The applied art of biophilic architecture examines the psychological impacts of the human-nature connection and offers strategies for improving it through space design. This research aims to investigate the application of biophilic design in the traditional architecture of Dezful and to examine the hypothesis that biophilic architectural features exist in the architecture of Dezful and that these features contribute to the quality of this traditional texture.

The data collection method was through library research, and analyses were conducted on case studies using library studies and field research. In the research process, analytical-descriptive techniques were employed, and the patterns were compared with buildings and urban texture.

Fourteen biophilic architectural models were investigated in three parts of Dezful's traditional architecture. Some models, according to the findings, are reflected in public places and passageways, while others are reflected in houses. The average model reflection in public places, passageways, and houses was 81%. The analysis showed that the first six models, namely nature in space, were present in all case studies, though the equality of some models was lower and that of others was higher. The average of 88% for nature in space indicated that the presence of nature in traditional architectural spaces, both public and private, was extremely important. An average of 87% was obtained in the second part, namely natural similarities. In the third part of the patterns, namely the nature of space, the results indicate that landscape and shelter are observed in both indoor and urban spaces, and patterns of mystery, risk, and danger are seen more in urban spaces and, in a few cases, in some houses.

Biophilic design proves the positive psychological effects of the presence of nature in the built environment. In Iranian traditional architecture, the connection between nature and architecture is emphasized by using environmental conditions and natural patterns, and the city of Dezful, as a symbol of Iranian traditional architecture, clearly shows it. The relationship between nature and architecture is one of the most important factors that has made Iran's traditional architecture valuable, a topic on which 14 biophilic architecture models are based.