فصلنامه نگره
پیاپی 29 (بهار 1393)

This paper is a statistical and comparative study on quantity of reference to religious texts by wood carvers to decorate the cenotaphs of the descendants of imams (imamzadehs) in Sari. The problem and purpose of this study have been to study the quantity of reference to religious themes and texts by local artists in decorating the wooden cenotaphs and to determine the priority of each subject. To determine the Statistical population، 297 buildings in 2،157 square kilometers has been studied، among which، eight undamaged boxes with significant artistic qualities have been selected. Data is gathered through field research، using photography and note taking. This study has led to several conclusions. The results show that the «Quranic verses» and «Salavat Kabir» have been the most recurring in inscriptions. Among the available themes، artists have insisted on choosing texts related to two themes of «Principles of Religion» and «Shiism’s Legitimacy». The results also indicate the direct and positive influence of religious state support on religious art of Tabarestan. Imamzadeh Yahia tomb tower is a notable example of such support.

A translation of the romantic sensation of Nizami Ganjavi’s [1] Khosrow and Shirin poem can be found in the interior designs of the music hall in Ali Qapu palace. This leads to the principal question as whether traditional arts can be regarded as each others’ interpretations. The main purpose of this paper is to illuminate the extent of accordance in common bases of literature in verse and traditional arts. It is assumed that both works are each other’s interpretations، specifically in their resemblance in depicting unity. This research using descriptive- analytical method، studies the ornamental elements and symbolic implications of the palace compared to the versified elements of Khosrow and Shirin poem. the results indicate that there is a meaningful relation between the form and architectural ornamentations of the music hall with Nizami’s romantic verses of the part “Shirin comes out of the tent”، both versifying and portraying the notion of unity and expressing the true union، a truth that begins with love and pursuit and self-denial، and lasts till union with the desired one.

Jami Mosque of Yazd is one of the great and important mosques of Azari style in Iran. We can imply to the features of this building such as high facade، long minarets، beautiful tiling، dome & etc. The utilization of designs in plaster cast، beautiful designs and tiling are very important and interpretable. The combination of geometric designs with arabesque designs in the mosque’s tiling decorations is somehow that in the first glance، we can''t distinguish between them easily. The goal of this article is the study of designs which their symbolic aspects contain Shiite thinking. The research method is descriptive- ­­analytical and published material is used. According to the research findings، available symbolic designs in Jami Mosque of Yazd include various types of brandeburgs، stars، altars & etc. These designs are very important because in spite of the establishment of a Sunni central government during the Ilkhanid and Timuried periods، Shiite thoughts have been used in building of this mosque.

Traditional arts like tilework، the art of stucco and brickwork have acquired a high position in Iranian architecture، especially in mosques. Following the advent of Islam in Iran، their forms، contents، techniques and places have undergone material changes. To find out the course of these changes، Naein Jami mosque، one of the earliest Iranian mosques، adorned with magnificent stucco reliefs، and Varamin Jami mosque، a relic of the Ilkhanid period، one of the mosques in which an exquisite colored brickwork first appeared، were chosen to speculate the effects of social- religious context on ornaments and their reformations (in a 400-year period from 4th – 8th century Hijry Qamari) through a comparative study of ornaments and their reformations. In this research using interpretive -historical method، data is gathered through published material and field research، and following the analysis endeavors to conclude the qualities of changes in techniques (stucco to brickwork and colored tilework)، the formal-conceptual content (natural vegetative motifs to complex geometric shapes and arabesques)، the content of scripts (from Quranic versus to sacred names of imams، hadith and prayers) and the place of ornaments (expanding from interior part adjacent to mihrab to exterior spaces). The influence of political stability on body of the mosque and its transformation into a state building، the influence of moguls on the architecture of the mosques (reproduction of forms and ornaments of moguls’ tents in domes) and the advent and support of the Shiite thinking in calligraphic ornaments to underline the common religion by the contemporary government are also to be mentioned.

There is a manuscript by Saadi (the great poet of 13th century، Iran) in the collection of Saarem-o-dolleh (in Ibn Miskawayh library of Isfahan) which is known for its magnificent illumination. This book has a colophon but the year of its inscription is still unknown. This missed part has led us to seek a way of dating it، a different way based on technical data of the work. In this regard، we had to find a book with specified date and similar illumination techniques. A Hafiz manuscript (the great poet of 14th century) from the very same collection، dated 1283 Hijri Qamari (Qajar period) with the mentioned qualities made this study possible. After further examinations we found that this similarity is scientific and based on clear reasons. Based on our hypothesis we can say that both manuscripts definitely belong to the Qajar period. With regard to the numerous technical similarities including delineation، they may even be attributed to one artist، or a master and his pupil. This paper uses descriptive- analytical method and the data is collected through field research.

Safavid pottery، like the other arts in this period has experienced considerable growth and dynamism. In this period masterpieces of pottery، from lusterware and “blue and white«to the Celadon and Kubachi and Gombroon have been produced in numerous centers of pottery. Many ceramics from Kerman and Mashhad have survived from this period. This research uses the descriptive- analytical method and published material. Knowing the fact that Kerman and Mashhad weren''t famous centers of pottery in the history of Persian pottery and the heights of the past (Seljuk and Ilkhanid) periods; in this research we try to answer the following questions: What are the main features of Safavid pottery with regard to form، color، glaze and their application in these centers and to what extent was it influenced by Chinese pottery? Two cities of Kerman and Mashhad have a considerable share in Safavid pottery during the rise of the Safavid arts (from the late sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century A. D.). The Chinese influences on Mashhad pottery are more evident in its design and qualities of construction. In Kerman''s ceramics we see more variety in form، function، color and glaze. With regards to the considerable multiplicity of remaining ceramic works from these two cities، they can represent the Safavid pottery.