فصلنامه نگره
پیاپی 72 (زمستان 1403)

Humans have always been fascinated by animals. Animals usually provoke a strong reaction in people. Most mythologies feature animals in certain roles; some belief systems feature animals as guides, oracles, or totems representing certain qualities or certain characters. That is why animals have turned up as symbols in artistic media. The art of the ancient Near East includes some of the most vivid images of animals; the images of animals frequently appeared within compositions that evoked divinity, kingship, and the fertility of the natural world.Both naturalistic and abstracted animal portrayals are found throughout the history of the ancient Middle East and the selection of a stylized or exaggerated form is best understood as the artisan’s wish to emphasize a particular desirable or representative quality of the animal.Interest in wild animals and particularly in features like horns, wings, and claws that were considered especially dangerous or powerful is characteristic of ancient Middle Eastern art of all periods, dating back at least to the Neolithic period.During the Uruk period, the lion and bull became especially prominent in the art of the ancient Near and Middle East and first began to be used in images expressing the power of rulers. Images of lions were also used in protective contexts, and were set up in pairs to guard passageways into royal and ritual spaces. Conflict between two or more powerful creatures is a recurring theme in ancient Eastern art. Fierce animals shown in combat were perhaps meant to embody strong opposing forces in nature.Fierce animals, such as bulls and lions, as well as hawks, stags, and other powerful beasts, could be linked with certain gods whose qualities they shared. Horned headdresses were markers of divinity in the ancient Near East (a greater number of horns corresponded to a higher status in the world of the gods). However, the gods of the ancient Middle East did not commonly appear with animal features. Occasionally, gods appeared with wings and other birdlike elements, but they remained recognizably human. Thus, a depiction of a bull, for example, would be understood to refer to the storm god’s presence and powers, rather than to represent the god himself in animal form.With privileged status and mystical powers, lion has constantly played a major role in human societies and different civilizations. The lion has been an important symbol to humans for tens of thousands of years. The earliest graphic representations feature lions as hunters with great strength, strategies, and skills. In later depictions of human cultural ceremonies, lions were often used symbolically and may have played significant roles in magic, as deities or in close association with deities, and served as intermediaries and clan identities.In the Iranian culture and art, images of the animal were used in various forms and with different concepts, sometimes decoratively and symbolically, and other times politically. Religious purposes were another occasion for the appearance and application of lion motif in the Iranian culture; the most evident example of which would be the “Lion of God” as a metaphor for the first Shiite imam. Yet, another manifestation of lion in visual arts is the one related to the subjugation of the animal by the men of God, i.e. prophets, imams and mystics. This issue could be interpreted in the field of supernatural powers of such men and their inner control over physical phenomena, including wild animals.In Qajar era, as the site for the representation and the time of the development of folk religious arts, we encounter various related works in which docile lion has been subdued by the men of religion and mysticism through such supernatural powers, and consequently has become a tame animal without any fierceness or voracity. Accordingly, the present essay aims at the examination and evaluation of this subject matter both in textual and pictorial resources through analytical-descriptive method. The main questions proposed would be: (1) What is the relationship or connection between textual resources on the issue of animals’ subjugation and their visual representation in arts? (2) Into what categories, according to textual and visual evidence, such representations would fall? (3) What are the sources/ origins of the representations? (4) In which art media such representations have been reflected? The results indicate that representation and illustration of the scenes related to bringing lion under control before holy men was based on religious and in some cases on literary texts. Such an act could be interpreted in the realm of supernatural deeds and as a mark of honor. Further, there is a direct connection between written sources and visual, artistic manifestations. The visual representation of the mentioned issue in this essay was principally categorized under seven groups or narratives, and is reflected in different art media, namely oil painting, wall painting, reverse glass painting, lacquer painting, tilework, manuscripts, watercolor and in some cases, textiles.

Metalworking is one of Iran’s most important traditional arts, used to make all kinds of tools and equipment. The shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad is the only shrine of Shia imams in Iran, and service in this place is associated with various customs and traditions. One of the customs whose origin is still preserved is dust cleaning the shrine. The Dust Clearing Ceremony, apart from its unique customs, has been performed with tools that changed according to the requirements of the time. Many objects and tools related to this ceremony, such as Gulabdan and pitcher, have lost their practical value over time due to the constant use of new tools. They are kept in Astan Quds Museum owing to their sanctity and material and artistic value. The present study aimed to describe more precisely the functions and decorations of the dust-cleaning equipment of the Razavi Shrine in the Astan Quds Museum and to investigate the relationship between their decorations and the Dust Clearing Ceremony in the shrine.This study seeks to answer the following questions:1- What are the dust-cleaning tools available in the Astan Quds Razavi Museum, and what are their applications?2- What patterns and inscriptions were used to decorate the mentioned objects?3- What is the connection between the above decorations and the Dust-Clearing Ceremony of the Razavi holy shrine?Importance and necessity of the issue: Although some studies have investigated and explained the Dust Clearing Ceremony, no independent research has been performed regarding the examination of dusting tools. Moreover, the relationship between decorations, form and shape, inscriptions, and even the creation of these works with the Dust Clearing Ceremony is unclear.The research method is descriptive and analytical. Data were collected by field notes and direct observation to describe the works. At the same time, a library review of possible available sources, a review of documents available in libraries, museums, and the Astan Quds Razavi Document Center, and, if necessary, interviews were also used. The study group of this research includes dust-cleaning equipment in the Astan Quds Razavi Museum, which are 15 containers with the use of Gulabdan, Ewer, Basins, and Cups. To introduce each of these objects, various aspects of their construction, decoration, and endowment were examined by studying the characteristics of museum works. Then, while paying attention to the characteristics of the mentioned works, the identification and analysis around them were carried out with a more comprehensive look and a precise examination of the details of the images, and the works were examined in the two general topics of structure and decorations. The data analysis method is also based on qualitative findings.The results show that the dust-cleaning equipment of the Razavi Shrine in the Astan Quds Razavi Museum includes 15 objects with the use of Gulabdan, Ewer, Basins, and Cups that span from the Timurid period to the modern era. The motifs used in these works include geometrical, plant, and animal motifs with themes such as nature, hunting ground, abstract and mythological ones, as well as inscriptions in Naskh, Thuluth Nastaliq, and Broken Nastaliq scripts. The contents of the inscriptions include endowments, Quranic verses, and supplications.After a complete examination of the Dust-Clearing Ceremony from various aspects, such as prayers, elegies, and verses recited during the ceremony, the design and role of the clothing of the invited people, the connection with the architecture of the Razavi shrine or with the stories and history of Imam Reza (AS), the research pointed out that no relationship was observed between the patterns and decorations of the dust-cleaning tools and the process of performing the ceremony. The motifs used on the equipment were conventional and common in the relevant historical period, which were used in other works as well, and were not designed and used exclusively for the Razavi shrine. Also, it can be concluded that most of these objects were purchased or donated after construction and were not designed and produced for an endowment to Astan Quds Razavi from the beginning. Perhaps the only objects excluded from this rule are the steel Ewer of Feyzallah Shooshtari (picture 3) and the steel Ewer of Ibn Suleiman (picture 4) that Shah Sultan Hossein Safavi dedicated them. Other objects, either in terms of motifs’ types or inscriptions (content, strength of handwriting, and place of inscriptions), do not give a convincing reason to reject the opinion that the objects were purchased and dedicated after construction. On the other hand, the technique of making and decorating the works of the collection, despite their diversity, are not so impressive and extraordinary that they can be considered objects of mere artistic value. Consequently, the basic and main difference between these works and other similar works is their spiritual value as endowments for the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), not their forms or decorations.

Iranian painting and Persian literature have a long-standing and close relationship. Iranian painters in different periods have created original works inspired by literary themes. One of the most brilliant artistic periods in Iran is the Safavid era. With the support of the art-loving Safavid governors, the art of book design and painting was placed at the top of the arts, and in the royal workshops numerous illustrated manuscripts were prepared. Arts were placed and many illustrated copies were prepared in the royal workshops.The emergence of the Safavid dynasty was in the 10th century AH/ 16th century AD. It was a turning point in the history of Iran. By forming the central government and formalizing the Shia religion, the Safavid government established a unified and centralized political and ideological system in the country. In this way, a new chapter was opened in the culture and art of Iran. The religious tendencies of the Safavid kings and the ruling ideology in this period pushed the cultural and artistic trends in the direction of strengthening nationalism and promoting Shia jurisprudence. The Safavid rulers showed support and honor to the Shia scholars which provided a suitable ground for the promotion of Shia texts. During this period, many treatises and books were written and translated on Shia religious and theological principles, hadiths and traditions related to it, as well as the virtues of the infallible Imams (AS). In the shadow of the rule of the Shiite religion and the favorable political and social situation for the expression of Shiite opinions, a large number of artists devoted themselves to illustrating religious books. Iranian painters with devotion to Ahl al-Bayt (AS) illustrated works in the service of introducing the pure Imams (AS) and their virtues. One of the most common themes of these works is related to the life of Hazrat Ali (AS). His high position in Islam, as well as the great interest and respect of the Shiites towards that Imam, have led to the formation of many works about his sublime character, virtue and destiny. The unique personality of Hazrat Ali (AS) in qualities such as justice, courage, honesty, generosity, dedication, piety, etc. has caused him to be remembered as a legendary figure in Islamic culture and art, which is a clear example in the art of painting. It can be seen sincerely that Iranian painters have always tried to show the dimensions of Ali's personality by depicting parts of his life. These works express the heart's love and affection and the deep spiritual connection of the Shiites towards the Holy Prophet in the position of governorship. The depiction of religious subjects in the history of Iranian art has a long history and can be traced back to the first manifestations of civilization in the corners of Iranian civilization.Believers' artists paid attention to the fact that art can be a good vehicle for conveying a religious message and its impact on the audience. Image is considered the most important and necessary tool to express the truth. Ahsan al-Kebar's illustrated version of Golestan Palace is one of the Shiite illustrated versions of the Safavid period, whose subject is the life of the infallible Imams (AS) and the important events in the history of Islam. The discovery of the hidden layers in the picture of this version is an important step in identifying a Shiite work with a semiotic approach; the necessity of this research.The aim of the present research is to investigate the characteristics of the iconography of Hazrat Ali (AS) in the paintings of Ahsan al-Kebar based on the visual semiotics approach and to discover the hidden layers in the visual signs used in his images.The authors are trying to answer these questions: "What implicit concepts do the visual signs used in the portrait of Hazrat Ali (AS) indicate?"The present research method is based on the fundamental goal in the framework of visual semiotics and is considered analytical in terms of its descriptive nature. The number of samples consists of 5 images which are purposefully selected from 17 images. The findings based on documentary studies show that the painter has created spatial visual elements appropriate to the themes of the assemblies with the help of visual arrangements and appropriate selection, and turned them into meaningful elements. In addition to that, the symbolic systems and codes, used in these paintings, are influenced by the cultural contexts and the prevailing values in Shiite thought, which are in a coherent and coordinated relationship and a chain of companionship relationships. Some aspects indicate the personality dimensions of Hazrat Ali (AS).

Culture, the common way of life, thought and action of people in a society and popular culture, includes customs and beliefs that have been formed in different periods and is the origin of art, literature, and in a word, the identity of a nation. Therefore, it is necessary to receive, understand and introduce the popular culture in each period and to examine its reflection in the artworks left behind. What is called cross-cultural reading also seeks to discover the meaning of the intra-cultural or extra-cultural pretexts of a text, and in fact, what cultural aspects does that text reflect, and in this sense, which pretexts is it indebted to. Intertextuality, which was first used by Kristeva, was then focused on the audience's reading and reception by theorists such as Roland Barthes, Michael Riffaterre, and others, and since every text is intertextual and has a pretext in the reader's mind, a new way was created in studies especially in art to analyze a kind of two-way interaction based on the mental pre-texts of the reader of the text and not the author, and in this sense, he studied a new dimension of interactions between the audience and the text in interdisciplinary studies and important themes such as culture. In this study, we aim to recognize the popular culture of the people of Khorasan in the era of Safavid Prince, Ibrahim Mirza, in the paintings of Ibrahim Mirza’s Haft Awrang and the possible visual pretexts of the interculturality of these features. Since it is not possible to check all the pictures due to the large amount of information obtained from the intertextual reading, the picture "Andarze Pedar be Fazand darbare Eshgh" (Father's Advice to His Son about Love) was selected and studied from this illustrated version. Main Questions: The main questions of the research are 1- In the initial reading of the selected painting, what features of the popular culture and the way of life of the people of that time are evident? 2- What are the possible pre-texts of intercultural images of popular culture aspects reflected in this painting? The method of study is comparative-analytical and the method of collecting data is library-documentary. The data analysis is based on the theories of the first and second generation of intertextuality, Roland Barthes and Michael Riffaterre, according to which we explained the intra-cultural and extra-cultural pre-texts of Mashhad school artworks. According to the opinions of these two theorists of intertextuality, Roland Barthes and Michael Riffaterre, it can be said that in the intertextuality of reading, what we are considering in the current research, the main role is the responsibility of the audience, and it is his mental pre-texts that provide a new reading of the text as if the text has been reproduced. But these pre-texts cannot be identified in the initial reading of the work and show some kind of irregularities that can be identified in the re-reading of the text and with their help the original meaning of the text will be revealed. According to these thinkers, these meanings are true in all symbolic systems and have been studied and studied by them in art as well. In the first reading, we will deal with the primary analysis and reading of the visible cultural elements in the apparent and phenomenal layer of the text (phenomenon) and will examine the definite pretexts, and in the second reading, while examining the concept and dealing with the underlying layers (genometext), the cultural system and possible pretexts within culturally and extra-culturally, we analyze and read it more carefully. The findings of the research show that many traditions of popular culture of people of Khorasan in the era of Ibrahim Mirza Safavi are shown in this picture; among them: acceptance of the Shia religion, which is shown by wearing a Qazlbash hat in the painting, the traditional clothes of men and women, including the white headscarf for women and the white turban for men, which are used according to the hot and dry weather of Khorasan. Also, examination of the internal and external cultural pretexts of the objects mentioned in the selected painting shows that the visual and verbal pretexts of many of these objects have precedents in the cultural past of the Iranians, and in other words, many of these objects of popular culture have intracultural visual and verbal pretexts. We conclude that the primary reading of the selected painting reveals many aspects of the popular culture of the people of Khorasan in the era of Ibrahim Mirza Safavi in the form of material, behavioral and speech traditions, which can be said by examining the possible visual and verbal pretexts of each in the secondary reading of the text, most of them are intra-cultural and derived from the popular culture of the people of Khorasan in this period.

Narratology is a new science and deals with the understanding of the relationships, structures and grammar governing the narrative, which is rooted in structuralism. Structuralists in narratology seek to investigate the order and to discover the internal proportions in the narrative, the relationships and links existing on the elements that make up the story and explain the system that governs the narrative discourse. In this process, Propp and Greimas, relying on the method of narratology, pay attention to face analysis, and people like Genet have analyzed the tone of the narrative. Propp initiated narratology and was able to create special narrative patterns for folktales that deal with the functions in the development of characters and their relationships. He concluded that although the people and characters of these stories and their actions are diverse, their roles are limited and fixed. Following that, Greimas, who is one of the founders of structuralist semantics, by studying meaning and structures related to it, developed his action model based on how to use linguistic concepts that are used in the analysis of texts, to shift attention changed from sign to meaning. Greimas believes that it is necessary to cross the outer surface and to enter the deep layers of the text in order to find both the meaningful surface structures and the structures that are hidden in the depth of the text. In the Greimas's model, every narrative system is divided into six actors, which include sender/receiver/subject/object/restraining force and helping force. The sender sends the actor to follow the target and orders the execution of the command. The receiver is the one who benefits from the action or does not benefit from it. The object is the value object and the subject and goal of the action. The restraining force prevents the actor from reaching the goal and the assisting force helps the actor to reach the goal. The subject is the central element of the story. Greimas proposed three categories of dual oppositions, the six actors that are defined are divided into three categories of pairs of oppositions, each of which forms an axis of action (demand/power/sending); the axis of desire: (subject/passive), the axis of power: (helping force/inhibiting force) and the axis of sending: (sender/receiver).The subject and object pair is the most fundamental pair. Greimas's method is compatible with the method of semantics, and the narrative is made up of passages that must be understood in order to understand the text, and based on this, three syntactic rules are defined, which include executive, contractual, and disjunctive chains. In the analysis of ontology, according to the opposing pairs, three categories of human beings are defined and their role is checked whether they are active or not, and are present in the action or are likely to be present in the action. It is also determined whether they are active or not and whether they are conscious or unconscious in action. In the temporal and spatial sequence, which is one of the main elements of the narrative, how to change the temporal sequence to the spatial sequence is defined. In this research, a picture of Timurid version of Zafarnameh 935 was analyzed based on the action pattern of Greimas. This version is one of the most important books of the Timurid period and is based on a true narration and the follow-up in its details can be cited and the results of the analysis can be accurate and also the relationship between the text and the picture is clear and the content of the pictures according to the traditions that Greimas has in mind are close and the text and the picture have a deep connection. Despite the importance of this version, no complete research has been done on it based on the semantics of the pictures. The purpose of this research is to study how the visual and action patterns match with the Greimas's pattern. The main questions of the research are:1- How is the analysis of the structure of the narrative according to the elements of the visual activist in the mentioned picture? 2- What is the conversion of time sequence to place sequence in the image according to the narrative? 3- Can the painting be examined in the same way as the text in a structuralist way and conform to the model of Greimas? The research method is analysis using Greimas's model and data collection based on the study of written and documentary sources. The result of the research shows that the pattern of Greimas can be adapted to painting and each image with superstructure and underlying structure in the structure of analysis can act as an independent text. Also, the study of the structure of denotative chains to find the meaning of the image and the transformation of the temporal sequence into the place sequence in the image and its effect on the formation of the overall system in the structure of the visual narrative was considered.

The influence of arts on each other has been repeated in almost all time and historical periods of art. In painting, we can see this problem even in the works of great artists. In the contemporary painting of Afghanistan, the influence of the old painting traditions of Iran can be seen. For this purpose, this research aims to analyze the pictorial traditions of old Iranian painting with an emphasis on the paintings of Kamaluddin Behzad considering the contemporary painting of Afghanistan (last sixty years), with the help of tables and pictures, the manner of these influences were analyzed, compared and investigated. The investigated variables were theme and structure. This research seeks to answer these two questions: 1. What are the features and frameworks of the ancient pictorial coordinates of Iranian painting (Kamaluddin Behzad's paintings) and their themes? 2. How are the themes and structure of old Iranian painting continued in contemporary Afghan painting? The research method is descriptive-analytical with a comparative approach. The method of collecting information is field study and library-based research (using a survey tool and qualitative analysis method). The obtained results show that pictorial traditions in old Iranian painting (Behzad's paintings) have a separate identity compared to previous periods. In this way, it has been with new ideas in painting. Independent character, the activeness of the figures, the importance of motifs and the human role and facial expressions, color coordination, soft and delicate finishes, expanding the space, unique composition (generally circular), decorations, symbols and signs and mystical themes, social realism, stories, epics which were martial and the contemporary paintings of Afghanistan also indicate the continuity of these pictorial traditions. Themes and structure are equally important in the paintings of the first period. The importance of working techniques in the correct execution of images has been highly regarded, and along with the copying of Behzad's works, the creation of images based on Behzad's principles, but with a new expression was also seen. The themes in the paintings from the forties to the seventies are literary, mystical, martial, socio-political subjects with an emphasis on human, animal and naturalistic figures combined with a structure according to Behzad's structural principles, such as: fine brushwork, soft and cottony finishes, sophisticated and natural colors, the use of old motifs and traditional composition. Humans are important in these paintings. Copying of Behzad's works has also been done in order to revive old painting. Each of the elements has its own special place, and even though they have specific characteristics, it has not created a problem in expressing the subject. This is one of Behzad's characteristics and principles that is well followed in contemporary paintings. Static and circular compositions are in continuity with Behzad's style. In identical copying, the emphasis is on lyrical figures, elements of nature, and decorations. The colors are elaborate and mature. The entirety of the image space, whether in the frame or around the frame, has been used to express the subject. The size of the images is small in profiles like before, and micrography has been one of the main goals of painters of this time. But, in the paintings of the second period, the themes and structures undergo changes compared to the previous period. Themes are more important than structure. The following techniques are used to express the purpose and theme. The formats of the compositions, which are generally circular and static and sometimes combined, have formed a strong and resistant structure. The experience of new materials and modern approaches according to the role of old technical features is one of the main features of these paintings. A more sophisticated view of imitation and copying can be seen in the paintings. The role of the figure, socio-political issues with a critical, mystical, literary and fictional, epic and naturalistic approach are among the special issues of this period. Among lyric figures, popular figures, heroes and dervishes in general and in identical copying, lyrical figures, popular figures and dervishes are more prominent. Fewer decorations, and summaries can be seen more in the image space. The theme of women as an important theme in paintings becomes very important. The use of symbols and signs inspired by Behzad was observed in the works of this period more than the previous period. In general, paying attention to subtleties by using transparent colors, finishing elements in the form of dots and lines, writing, composition, choosing motifs shows the effective steps towards the revival of old painting, especially Behzad's works. Although the personal style of some prominent contemporary painters is also reflected in the manifestation of visual qualities and different themes, which has given a new identity to contemporary painting, the spirit of Islamic religious culture and the connection of themes with the literature governing the society show the existence of the rich culture of Islam and artistic traditions in this land.

One of the important characters represented in the visual versions of Aja'ib al-Makhluqat is the character Auj ibn Anaq. A very tall and huge man who was born at the time of Adam, lived for 3500 years and was alive at the time of Noah's flood in such a way that Noah's flood and the water of the seas reached his knees. In addition to these descriptions of the historical character and the religious themes related to him, numerous images of Auj ibn Anaq can be seen in the pictorial versions of Qazvini's Wonders of Creatures.In each of the illustrated editions of the Aja'ib al-Makhluqat, in the section related to strange creatures, and generally at the end of the chapter, an image of a tall creature is drawn, sometimes carrying a large rock or stone, and sometimes occupying the entire surface of the image; rather, this character has found its way into the historical texts of the Islamic period. Sometimes Auj ibn Anaq’s greatness is emphasized, and sometimes his battle with prophet Musa and carrying a large stone on his shoulders. Auj ibn Anaq is also one of the legendary characters rooted in the Bible (Old Testament). Using the iconographic analysis method and the iconographic transformation approach, this article tries to examine the hidden aspects of the images of Auj ibn Anaq in connection with the text and to search for the missing links of meaning not only in the image separately, but also in the connection of the images with the different texts. This research aims to obtain the hidden layers of meaning related to the narration of Auj ibn Anaq, historical texts, horoscopes, and other visual versions. Based on this, the main question in the current research is that in the pictures of Auj ibn Anaq, what differences does the visual description of Auj ibn Anaq show with his textual description and how are these differences reflected in the pictures? For this purpose, by using the iconographic analysis method, the motifs in the paintings of Auj ibn Anaq were examined in connection with the written texts. The method of analysis in this article is iconographic transformation, which is considered as one of the important aspects of iconography. Also, the method of collecting information in this study is based on library research and the statistical population of the present study includes nine pictures from the illustrated versions of Qazvini's Aja'ib al-Makhluqat. One picture from the manuscript of Balami's History is available in the Freer Gallery, one picture from the manuscript of Jame al-Tawarikh in the Edinburgh Library, three pictures are from one of the pictorial manuscripts of horoscopes in the Dresden and Topkapi collections in Istanbul, and one picture of the pictorial manuscript of Zobdeh al-Tavarikh in the Museum of Islamic Art in Istanbul. The images in this research were obtained through the websites of museums and archives. The method of analysis in the present research is as follows: based on the theme of the image (carrying a stone on one's shoulders, catching a fish from the water, the staff of Prophet Moses on the ankle of Auj ibn Anaq's foot), all the visual items in the versions of Aja'ib al-Makhluqat were selected and described, then examples of the same themes depicted in other illustrated versions (such as Falnameh, Jame al-Tawarikh, Tarikh Tabari, etc.) have been selected and analyzed. The necessity and importance of this article is that it achieves a deep understanding of the content of the paintings of the Islamic period by using a scientific and reliable method to analyze the paintings of the Islamic period. The findings indicate that the transfer of this character through the religious narratives of the Bible to the creatures of the Qazvini’s Aja'ib al-Makhluqat has faced changes and transformations over time, and the ancient Persian texts and especially the Avesta text play an important role in the revival of the character of Auj ibn Anaq in the Islamic period. In the study of transformations of Auj ibn Anaq in the images of the Islamic period, two examples of transformations, one of the transformations of carrying a stone and the other of living in the sea and catching fish from the water, were examined, which express the hidden concepts in the images of Auj ibn Anaq through astrological texts. Furthermore, the revitalization of the Avesta theme in the images of Auj ibn Anaq is evident through literary descriptions.

From ancient Iranian culture, there are several images that have been depicted on different devices. Human-centered portraits are special ones. Most of the human-centered images carry ritual-belief issues, which have created reflective images of human beings and their surroundings. The aim of this study was to introduce implicit reading of these kinds of portraits. The questions outlined in the studies are as follows: 1. Which ancient Iranian portraits are known as ritual-belief-based human portraits? 2. From the perspective of explaining the structure, in which axis can human-based ritual-belief portraits be emitted? 3. What implicit message do these images carry through video reading? The research method is analytical-interpretation. The approach adopted by this study will be the phenounology of visual signage. The method of sample selection and data analysis results from library data. The results of the study showed that 1. In ancient Iran, several human-centered portraits can be identified. 2. The structure of human portraits is ritual-belief, symbolic and religious. 3. Reading the visual emblem of ritual-belief images with human focus interprets the themes of mythical and belief-oriented codes, which symbolically interprets part of the narrative of ancient Iranian culture. The necessity of this research while recognizing and identifying some of the studies in the field of visual arts, cultural and artistic reading of the mentioned works in ancient Iranian culture has been neglected. This research is an effort towards the proper interpretation of human-centered religious images as a neglected part in the cultural studies and visual arts of pre-historic Iran. This importance includes the importance and necessity of addressing the topic of the article. Investigating the research subject will be possible by relying on archaeological discoveries and benefiting from modern sciences such as semiotic science. From this point of view, the results of the research seem novel. The authors have defined the basic structure of the article based on the explanation of the table in order to present and pay all the research documents and the most fundamental findings of the research. In their explorations and studies, archaeologists have found ancient and significant artifacts from the natives of the Iranian Plateau, among which decorated and engraved tools seem to be the hallmarks of human art. In this evolution of citation identification, the authors of this research found that numerous illustrated works of the culture of prehistoric peoples in ancient Iran can be identified, which should be considered with a deeper scrutiny in one order and with a single illustrated subject. It is interesting to note that these paintings have been depicted on different tools during many millennia and in geographically distant places from each other. The pictorial elements of these paintings are humans and their surroundings. Although at the first glance those works appear to be very primitive paintings drawn with simple visual elements, but in a deeper analysis and generalization of knowledge of the culture of those people to the context of the subject, the implicit meaning is hidden in the heart of the painting. The message and purpose of their drawing must be revealed. Archeology experts have called these paintings a subject; because it seems that the images have a special theme. The authors of this research did not consider the subject of these paintings to be unrelated to humans, their metanarrative rituals and beliefs, and on the same basis, they call those paintings human-centered religious paintings. Analyzing a part of the visual arts before the history of Iran and the role of religious beliefs in their formation, related rituals and rhythmic movements, the role of religious attitudes and symbolization in contemporary art will be among the results of the upcoming research. In addition, this research has shown that it is very important to pay attention to the symbolic application of religious beliefs in the depiction of ancient Iranian painting art. Also, due to these studies, the role and application of religious-cultural components in the thematic art-paintings of ancient Iran is clearly revealed. The available evidence and conducted studies show that prehistoric dances in Iran should be considered among the rhythmic movement symbols used in religious rituals. This is evident from the analysis of the paintings left from the mentioned period. The results of scientific, symbological and mythological studies show that the religious dances of the pre-historic people of Iran were formed and continued with the support of the intellectual-religious foundations, the mythological worldview and the living culture of those people. These people performed their many rituals with pluralistic religious symbolism and used rhythmic movements as a part of their rituals. These rhythmic movements provide symbolic facilities to this culture, with the use of which the people of this culture can hope for a more optimal life. In the meantime, dance as a ritual, mythological-symbolic movement is considered an integral part of their life and art. This importance is evident in the illustrated paintings.

The history of wood use in Iran has a long history. Indigenous people of Iran have used wood a lot, such as for the construction of doors, windows, wooden columns, etc. This proves this. According to the surviving works, one of the areas where wood has been widely used in architecture is the historical village of Abyaneh near the city of Natanz. In fact, the use of wood and arts related to it, along with other factors, has made this village known and introduced as one of the important villages in the country's tourism discussion. In this regard, the main issue of the article is the existence of the only historical wooden altar in Iran inside the mosque of this village. The use of wood in the architecture of this village can be seen in the form of doors, wooden railings, lattice windows, ceilings, and columns as well as wooden porches. In general, the infrastructure of the mosque is about 1000 square meters. This mosque is rectangular and has two floors _ the basement and the ground floor. The columns inside the nave are made of wood; the walls are made of stone, mortar, and raw clay. Its roof is also supported by wooden pillars and surrounding walls. Inside the mosque, there are various historical wooden monuments; one of the most valuable of which is the wooden altar of the mosque in the basement. The mentioned altar has numerous decorations and inscriptions that have remained until today due to the structural and natural limitations of the wood material. The altar has decorations and carvings, as well as numerous inscriptions that have survived to this day. In fact, the purpose of this research is to introduce, to qualitatively examine (including a study of proportions and composition of motifs and methods of construction and decoration) and to conduct a content analysis of the altar inscriptions of Abyaneh Jame Mosque. For this purpose, all the designs and techniques used on the altar and its inscriptions have been read and studied. In this regard, 1- the techniques which have been used to construct and to decorate the wooden altar of this mosque 2- as well as the visual and thematic components of the proportions and inscriptions used in the said altar, are the questions that this research seeks to answer. The present research is written in an analytical-descriptive method and is considered a kind of developmental research. On this basis, after field surveys and imaging of the altar, library, and documentary studies were conducted. Then, according to this issue, a qualitative analysis and study of the designs, composition, construction techniques, and content of the existing inscriptions on the desired altar have been done and an attempt has been made to explain the data in the form of tables. Studying the various designs, techniques of decoration, composition, and inscriptions of the altar in question can be of great help in identifying historical wooden artifacts, especially rare artifacts such as the wooden altar. Actually, due to the lack of proper and adequate care and maintenance by the relevant authorities, the study of this wooden monument seems necessary.Findings showed that the altar specifically belongs to the Seljuk period, Although in terms of variety, plant motifs are more numerous than other motifs, it seems that the maker has used geometric motifs to symbolically refer to God and the signs of creation. In other words, although in terms of diversity, plant motifs have more quantity compared to other motifs, it seems that the artist has symbolically referred to the Great God by using geometric motifs. The use of themes such as Ayat al-Kursi, as well as the Oneness of the One and Only, the titles of God, and the infallible Imams is a double emphasis on the otherworldly themes in these inscriptions. From the general form to most of the motifs used in the altar, they are designed and executed based on golden ratios and have geometric structures and relations. In the overall composition of the altar, motifs are in the form of independent factors that have created a coherent system through repetition. Meanwhile, the issue of symmetry, especially mirror symmetry, is very significant in the details of the motifs. These motifs are decorated with prominent embossing techniques and a slanted cutting style. Other construction techniques have been used in the altar, the connection of the crotch and the tongue and the frame and the plate, which are both among the oldest and the most reliable wooden connections. Also, considering the passage of 9 centuries from the date of construction of the altar, the hypothesis of having a continuous skeleton inside the wall can be proposed. Finally, the comparison of other wooden works of Abyaneh Mosque with its altar, in terms of motif, technique, and content can be a suitable field of study for future research.

Great Khorasan took many cities from Ghaznin to Bastam and from Amoy to Sistan. The two cities of Zaveh and Neishabour, in which the works studied in this essay are based, were also very prosperous during that time. Zaveh Mausoleum Monuments became famous in the 7th century of Hijri due to the position and residence of Sheikh Heidar. The Heidarieh Dervish sect is attributed to him. Sheikh Heider was alive when the Mongols came in 617 AH and later became known as Sheikh Qotbuddin. In Neishabour, the tomb of Imamzadeh Mohammad Mahrouq has been and still is the home of many pilgrims. The building of these ancestors has had additions, repairs and decorations in different periods. What are discussed in this article is the wooden wall of Sheikh Heider Zaveyi's tomb and the wooden box of Imamzadeh’s shrine. According to the investigations, the studied works do not have a construction date. The purpose of the article is to evaluate the history and technical and artistic features of the box of the Imamzadeh Mahrouq in Neishabour and the door of the tomb of Qotbuddin Heidar Zaveyi in Torbat Heidarieh. The motifs and inscriptions of the works were examined and to determine the historical period; they have been adapted to the architectural decorations of places and important works of the Ilkhanid period, such as the Soltanieh building, the Shahnameh of Abu Said, and the Qurans. Therefore, it is looking for an answer to the question that the tomb of Sheikh Qotbuddin Heider Zaveyi and the wooden chest of Imamzadeh Mahrouq belong to which historical period and what technical and artistic characteristics do they have? The method of research is fundamental in terms of its purpose, and it is descriptive, analytical and historical in terms of its nature and research method. In this regard, the features of Iran's woodcarving design and patterns have been briefly stated. Also, the technical and artistic characteristics of the mentioned works, as well as their content, have been analyzed and it has been completed by visually comparing them with the works of the Ilkhanid period and its historical assessment. The method of collecting information is in the form of field research and library studies. The images of the artworks are photographed by authors, and the motifs of the artworks are drawn, using CorelDRAW software.Results show the art of woodcarving was beautifully done during this period, and the artists of that period, with devotion to the religion and verses of the Quran, created beautiful and delicate inscriptions on wooden works of that period with Thuluth and Kufic scripts. The position of the geometric nodes is undeniable and beautifully adorned the woodworks. The Toranji frames and plant motives, which are considered as motifs that belong to this era, shine brightly. Three-leaf flowers, Arabesque patterns which end with a three-leaf flower, plant motifs and ornamental elements such as multi-leaf flowers, leaves, arabesque, twisted plants, designed the work beautifully and firmly. In this study, first, the general outlines, principles and theoretical definitions of the research, then the historical, social, cultural, religious and political situation of the Mongols in the Ilkhanate era and later exclusively the situation of the Great Khorasan and the two cities of Neishabour and Torbat Heidarieh are discussed. Consequently, the woodworks studied in this research (The wooden door of the Qotbuddin Heidar Zaveyi tomb and the wooden box of Imamzadeh Mahrouq) have been discussed in terms of their design and inscriptions, and after being compared to architectural motifs of historical sites such as Soltanieh mosque, the Shahnameh of Abu Said, and Ilkhanate Qurans, the historical period of two woodworks was identified as the Ilkhanate period.

Understanding the relationship between text and image includes: 1. Choosing a scientific topic 2. Introduction of child audience groups (age groups A and B) 3. It is important to know the special literature of this kind of fiction books with scientific-educational topics and, in addition to non-fiction narration (non-fiction), with an imaginative narrative structure (story) for children's education. The problem of this article is to investigate the power of narration in the illustrations of scientific-educational books (age groups A and B) in Iran (the 90s AH). The purpose of this article is to investigate the abilities of narration in the illustration of children's texts and books (scientific-educational related to age groups A and B) and to know it in order to develop knowledge in illustration. The research questions are: 1. For children of age groups "A" and "B", what image characteristics are there in the analysis of narrative and narrative scientific-educational illustrations in scientific facts and nature expression? 2. What is the effect of pictures in teaching scientific subjects (here specifically for children)? This research is of the "fundamental" type and it is "theoretical foundation" by focusing on the type of collection of materials in the library method. Materials have been collected by means of indexing, referring to analyzed books, library sources and documents. The method of qualitative information analysis is conducted through information analysis using related books, articles, research related to the subject under review and the books mentioned in this article. The results of the research show that the narrator's scientific-educational illustrations for children of the "A" and "B" age groups have clear and inclusive narrative and visual characteristics; the order in the events of the story, the order of times in the frame of the images and the focalization are opposite; theme, space and place, suspense, suitable for narration and characterization; imagination of ending, the ending which includes realist or fantasist. Also, non-fiction narrative (non-fiction), with an imaginative narrative structure (story) has the ability to teach children scientific facts.Visualization is a powerful tool to convey the concept. Scientific illustration has the ability to directly express scientific topics and events that cannot be described clearly in written form. Considering the high capacity of information transfer by image, it is tried to increase the power of understanding and learning by visual representation of scientific information. One of the methods that establishes communication between humans is verbal communication. One of the reasons for the importance of establishing this relationship is the transfer of experience and knowledge to understand the surrounding environment as well as education. This verbal communication can be oral or written. By expressing experiences and knowledge, it is possible to transfer them to others. In this way, the events, incidents and events, orally or in writing, are told in the order of their occurrence from the speaker's point of view. This way of narrating a story or news by the narrator is called narration. The narrative can be fictional and include myths, fables, and legends; or non-fiction to express historical and scientific facts and to teach and transfer experiences that help solve scientific problems. The narrative can be oral or written; the image can also be the narrator. Another way of knowing the human from his surrounding environment and communicating with it is to see. Therefore, with the help of images, humans can solve the problem of the limitations of seeing and experiencing, and by creating an image, in other words, by depicting nature and objects, their experiences and functions, they can step into the stage of visual education. For this reason, knowing the relationship between text and image, as well as knowing the structure of these books, which includes 1. Choosing scientific subjects 2. Introduction of child audience groups (age groups A and B) 3. Knowing the special literature of this type of story books based on scientific-educational topics, besides the non-fiction narrative (non-fiction), with a fantasy narrative structure (story) is important regarding the education of children. One of the main ways for a child to know his surroundings is to see. Considering this characteristic of the child, the narrator's illustrations can be one of the appropriate methods for teaching and familiarizing him with the sciences and realities around him. Many phenomena and scientific facts cannot be taught to a child through speech; but the same information can be conveyed in a simple, clear and expressive manner, suitable for the child's age group, through the image, and the child communicates with this type of images, and the speed of learning and its depth increases. The role of imagination in illustration can express a narrative world, but it must be said that the same narrative story can represent scientific and educational events in nature and scientific realities in the world of illustration.

Color has been one of the most influential elements in expressing artistic features, ornaments and various elements since ancient times; although, less attention has been paid to the issue of why the choice of blue color is placed as the top color in ornaments of Iranian architecture during the Islamic period. Was its widespread use the only reason, or have other colors and reasons also been important? In order to solve the problem, an attempt was made to choose a medium with the best answer. Therefore, based on the remaining data, wall paintings were chosen as the medium for the research between the 9th and the 15th centuries. The aim of this research is to determine the preferred color in the inscription and the reasons for its use with the help of the remaining number of buildings in Iran painted in wall painting style. In this regard, questions are also raised; is there a meaningful significant relationship between content and color in these wall paintings' inscriptions? If a color is preferred, what could be the possible reasons for that? Separation as well as classification of data in this research is a factor that has enabled us to use acceptable reasons that rely on evidence instead of descriptive words. The necessity of this research also requires achieving a logical process towards traditionalist thoughts about a type of continuity of color which is referred to as blue in this research. The research method of the current research is correlational and it was tried to distinguish whether the inscriptions are religious or non-religious in terms of subject matter and language. Finally, the reasons for using blue color in Islamic, mystical, literary and pre-Islamic sources were investigated. The results of the research show that the content of most of the inscriptions was religious. Also in all cases; except limited cases that have acceptable reasons, the artist has used blue color in the painting or background to express the spiritual, celestial and divine values of religious inscription. Evidence shows that out of a total of 205 inscriptions on walls, only 5 were done with non-blue colors. Based on this, when examining the color causes of heterogeneous inscriptions, we encountered several important cases; one of these cases is the red inscription of Gonbad-e Soltaniyeh and the other two are Persian inscriptions of Qal'eh Afraasiyab and Togh-e Bolandiyeh House. The use of red color in the inscription of the dome of Soltaniyeh was intended to draw the viewer's attention to the subject of Oljaytu's death. The artist's attention to the issue of language type is also evident in the simultaneous use of different colors in the Afraasiyab Castle (Figure 4), where blue is used in Arabic inscriptions and a different color is used for Persian inscriptions. Arabic was, in fact, the language that God chose to reveal his will in the Quran. This can also be seen in the foundation and burial inscriptions, where only Arabic was used, indicating their suitability for choosing blue as a color. In the following, it is clear that the artist used a variety of colors, including green, yellow, black, and red, in painting of the inscriptions, but only used blue color for painting or the background of the inscription with the content and theme which have been chosen from Quranic and religious texts. The results in response to the second question indicate that the Quran does not have much agreement with this color, and even with reference to the verse 102 of Surah Taha which mentions blue, an opposing interpretation may be possible to be considered. From an Islamic mysticism perspective and based on the opinions of Sheikh Alaa al-Dawla Semnani, Kabiri, and Najm al-Razi, blue was among the prominent colors, but not at the highest level that could be used as a representation of spiritual elements. Finally, by examining the history of lapis lazuli usage as a valuable material, it becomes clear that it was used in the past as a supplement to gold and was likely used to enhance artistic effects. Models of this combination can be seen in ancient art of Mesopotamia, Christianity, and Manichaeism. It seems that the closest culture that has been able to have a comprehensive influence on Islamic art in this regard is Manichaeism, especially since the Manichaeans used lapis lazuli in the background of all their works. All in all, if this issue is fundamentally related to the Manicheans, it is not far-fetched, because most of the works left by followers of Mani were also in the field of painting. The final word is that everything that was obtained from the examination of the characteristics of blue color and the inscriptions painted on the wall is a representation of the master artist's effort to keep the color values alive, which became traditional and continued with the motivation of the embodiment of religious art.