Motaleate-e Tatbiqi-e Honar
Year:2017 | Volume:7 | Issue:13 |Papers Count:11

In his discussion about the cultural treasures, Walter Benjamin argues that, “There is no document of civilization which is not at the same time a document of barbarism”. The most obvious instances of cultural treasures in Benjamin’s discussion are found in the monumental architecture, and the history has always shown that the rulers have been interested in these magnificent statements by stone. Benjamin’s argument challenges the dominant theory that seeks an ideal image of these magnificent architectural works in order to confirm the glorious cultural past, and by establishing this image, it could introduce these artworks as the expressions of cultural and national identity. Before Benjamin, Nietzsche had also derided this aspiration to admire great historical artworks and their interpretation in line with the historical progress. This perspective would challenge the triumphantly interpretation which suggests history as a moving forward and progressive process, because as Benjamin points out, every progression is associated by a catastrophe. The present article attempts by employing Benjamin’s discussion and by using of the cinematic thinking’s model suggested by Gilles Deleuze, revises the role of these architectural monuments in establishing national identity. By Taking advantage of montage technique in confrontation with these magnificent cultural documents, we can move toward more open horizons for interpreting these works. Recalling the limitations of traditional historiography paradigms, the montage thinking can challenge dominant historical narratives in relation to art works. Discovering, reinterpretation and trying to put the neglected works alongside those magnificent documents, or re-reading of those glorious documents, irrespective of dominant ideological theories, could lead to the collapse of the totalizing system. As a result, with the decaying of the totalizing system and removing the ideological aura sprayed by the hegemonic power, “the Imaginary Cultural Geography” also converts to discrete scattered fragments.

The perception and interpretation of artworks take place in an interactional process so that it is not possible to separate one from another. A scientist like “Ernest Gombrich” propose this issue to refute the visual perception theory. From this point of view, one should be able to recognize the oneness of the themes in representative works of art that have a similar theme, regardless of differences in style personal background of the artist or his ability to real imaging. In the next step, provided that the work of art is connected to the literary text and through a dominance over written knowledge, it should prepare us with reaching to the occult meaning behind it. In order to investigate this approach, this study seeks for answering this question: “How would it be possible to understand the oneness between literary story and the interpretation of the pictorial content in four Qajar Pesian paintings of Farhad carrying Shirin’s horse on his back, with regard to Ernest Gombrich’s visual perception viewpoint? ” With a comparative-analytical method and use of documentary studies, the authors’ objective is to illustrate, in a qualitative way and through an accurate attention to the unique stance of Gombrich in the field of visual perception, in first step and through comparing four Persian paintings of Farhad and Shirin, due to the existence of essential visual components, that the oneness of theme can be established despite the differences in style and presence or absence of some elements. Although the principal indices are depicted in different ways, in second step the depiction of some of the elements has been overlooked or the pomposity of some of the details has been increased, in comparing the depiction with the story narration, but the congruency between the pictorial signs and the theme is noticeable. The drawn conclusion is that in observing the general contexture of an image, perception and interpretation were perceived simultaneously. This is the phenomenon which allows the capability to recognize the figures and reaching tenors of depiction; as in depicting of one issue, human beings can consciously and through distinction of main components identify the oneness of the themes from different representation, a problem whose significance is revealed in visualized arts through selective studying in this inquiry.

Alhashaysh is a perdurable opus written by the Greek famous medicine man, and one the main resources of zoology and phytology. Most Islamic scientists and medicine men exploited this book of interest as a reliable resource in their publications. The book has been frequently translated and copied in the Islamic civilization. The most important translation was that by M. Ben Mansour, the governor of Diyarbakir of Iran West in the sixth century. Alhshaysh version of Astan Quds Razavi has been written in a clear artistic style and contains the title of contents, the name of different plants with 680 colorful images and 284 images of animals in dry lands as well as the marine ones whose name is seldom written in syriac language. This book consists of 272 pages having 19 lines, and 25 codices (tables of contents). The book is totally 285 pages with 46 cm length and width of 29 cm. as the last few pages has been lost, it was not clear if the name of author, depicter and the date and place of publication were even mentioned. The book is kept under the number of 7059 in Astan Quds Razavi museum. Successive coping of the book led to a unique existence of styles and various schools of arts in depiction of final version of Alhashaysh of Razavi Quds Astan by Mehran Ben Mansour. Depicter of the version of Astan Quds has copied some images, due to his commitment to the resource version or probable lack of visual dominance over the animal and plant samples, unchanged and based on visual styles and perception of the artist. The author obtained the results through the comparative study versions as well as the description and analysis historical images.

This study aims to introduce and survey some of Iran’s zoomorphic ceramic statues during 6th to 8th centuries after Hijrah, coincident with SELJUQ, KHARAZMSHAHID and ILKHANID periods. The main object of the present study is to identify the most important formal and decorative features of Iran’s zooid sculptures during this period. Obviously, the study of different aspects of the aforementioned dimensions as well as the reasons for the boom in the construction of these statues during specific ages can enhance our qualitative and quantitative cognition toward these special artistic works in an Islamic art body. To this goal, 24 distinguished statues were selected from Iranian or foreign museums and were surveyed on the basis of above mentioned criteria. The major research questions in this project are: What are the reasons and domains of incidence of these forms in Iran’s Islamic middle centuries. What are the most important functions and techniques used in the construction and decoration of these zooid ceramic statues in Iran’s Islamic middle centuries. What are the similarities and differences of the aforementioned statues and those made in former periods and before the incidence of Islam in Iran. The study was conducted in a descriptive -analytic methods and data were collected in a document library method. According to the findings of the study, zooidceramic statues of this era are divided into two categories; category of independent or integrative application and a category with no specified application or merely decorative one. The most current decorative techniques were luster ware, enamel and monochrome glaze. Also, despite the extensive patterning from ceramic statues of pre-Islamic eras in aspectsof decoration and especially figures forms, they have major differences with them. So that most figures are in arabesque, geometrical, zooid and human forms and in rare cases, they are inscription like. Of course in some cases, the above mentioned were Combined and side by side. But about the forms of these statues, besides the patterning of pre-Islamic instances, are perhaps influenced from new religious, political and cultural domains of this era such as the lifestyle of newcomer migrants or some SELJUQ kings’ names like Toqrol (in hawk statues) and Alp Arsalan (in lion statues) or some astronomical concepts.

Mihrab and Mihrab form tombstones in Iran are important handmade structures which have different religious-ritual functions. Mihrab is the most important place in mosque for determining Qibla and tombstone, is a Specifications plate (name, birth, death, religion) as a sign of venerating the dead person. Mihrab tombstones are very similar to the Mihrab in terms of forms. Similarities of this type of handmade structure is not only in outward form but also is very obvious in the pictures used; like Quranic verses, supplications, arabesques and heliotrope. One of the most usual designs of this kind is the picture and symbol of the sun. This study aims to identify semantic components of the sun design and attempts to answer this question: In what forms, concepts, aspects of differences and similarities was the sun represented in Mihrabs and tombstones of 4th to 7th centuries of Hijri calendar, apart from the ritual function? Therefore, an attempt was made to identify and investigate their concepts and reveal similarities and dissimilarities of the sun symbols in a comparative analytical method. Findings of the study show that sun picture has been used in different forms such as circle, cross, lilies and roundels in these handmade. Continuity of the sun pictures in these handmade structures represents Iranian-Islamic culture which was a symbol of light and lighting in ancient Iran wisdom (Ahouramazda) and was embodied after Islam as an allegory of divine light especially in roundels. Among the pictures, circle design has the most usage in Mihrab and lilies in tombstone. Roundels and cross designs had an impressive presence in Mihrab and had not been seen in tombstones.

Abul-Hasan Gaffari, Sani ol-Molk, was a pioneer iconographer, book illustrator and painter in Qajar Period who created many works in portraiture, book illustration and lithography. His works had deeply influence the Iranian visual arts. He was the first art student sent to Italy to study the works of the Italian masters. After return, Sani ol-Molk exhibited his sketches to his pupils, at a college which founded himself. His pupils were eminent and influential artist who created a dominant macro policy of in the next decade. Through descriptive-analysis method, the main objective of this research is to answer this question: what were the consequences of Sani ol-Molk’ educational trip to Italy and studying and copying Renascence Masters’ works? Then, this research aims to explore and compare two works of Raphael copied by Sani ol-Molk with his late portraits by means of which it evaluates this influence on Sani ol-Molk’s portraits. The enhancement of Sani ol-Molk’s artistic skills that enables him to produce spirited active portraits can be regarded among the impacts on Abulhasan Qafari’s latest paintings. The other results of Sani ol-Molk trip were the inspiration and the use of European art motives such angels and divine figures. The latter was served in late works of Sani ol-Molk to imply divine and supernatural aurora to figures. Thus, it can be seen elements in this period of the artist career that show why the painter was ordered to portraiture models.

Since there are distinctive similarities and differences between miniatures and paintings of Tower of babel and Khovarnagh Palace, this research aims to uncover the seemingly hidden and obscured reasons behind it. To this end, this study examines and analyzes the visual structure of Persian miniatures in comparison to Western miniatures in order to find differences and similarities taken shape in Tower of Babel and Khovarnagh Palace. Hence, in this research, first the main question to be answered is; ” Does the Persian miniature like Khovarnagh Palace own the same ideologies and values the same as Tower of Babel in Western miniatures or due to various reasons, they have got some other thinking and interpretation? As the findings of this research, it has to be mentioned that, besides the differences, Persian miniature - rooted in an ancient oriental culture –has also a lot of similarities in comparison to western cultures and civilizations; such as avoiding void, characterization, gradient and shaping, removal of perspective, the use of unreal colors, and regarding the choice of subject matter, the use of historical buildings and the attention to working class people instead of a monarchy. Ultimately, as the obtained results, it should be said that impacts occurred by different landmasses regarding the variability of religious, traditional approaches as well as the social values of “time” are all matters which should be proceeded with. Thus, the created visual atmosphere guides the addressee to investigate the similarities and differences. And changes in races, civilizations and cultures or even in various nations have a significant role in creating aforementioned points. Given the fact that factors and elements formed in “Persian miniature”, in addition to their differences, have also similarities with “European miniature” and particularly “Western painting”, thus in this comparison and inquiry, one can point out these differences and similarities between these artworks very well. Research method: Analytic –Descriptive method. References are taken from library resources and also, in some cases, from reliable internet websites.

The present study seeks for to examining the components of illumination of the Frontispieces in Injuid and Timurid Shiraz School. The aim of the study is to explain the main reasons in change of approach and dominant styles in illuminated manuscripts throughout a century within the identical origins. In addition, the present study compares the structural and formal characteristics of illuminated Frontispieces in these two historical periods. The present research study is sought to answer the following research questions: 1- Which domains were led to composition development and illuminated details of Frontispieces in Shiraz School within the period of 100 years? 2- What were the changes applied to the patterns of the illuminated Frontispieces in the Injuid dynasty of Shiraz School and Timurid Shiraz School? The study was conducted through a descriptive-analytical method. The results of the study indicate the inevitable impact of the kingdom on the art during these historical periods. Injuid dynasty’s illumination has been covert in Iranian identity and shaped on the basis of the established motifs in the former mental images. In this regard, the Timurid illumination has been built on the fusion of heritage and cultural standards of the city which has was alien to the accepted traditions. In Timurid period, cultural and economic policies, perfectionist inclinations of Shiraz rulers, total domination on the Transoxiania, prevalence of Nastaliqe fonts and individualistic attitudes based on illumination artist’s thoughts, have led to many changes of illumination within the century. These changes are formed in terms of the color tastes, development of the geometrical structures, and delicacy of the formal and different executive techniques. In fact, promulgates a united pattern and a disciplined structure in the realm of the illumination in Shiraz School in the first half of the 9th century A.H.

In early twentieth century, political leaders of Turkey and Iran who noticed the backwardness of their country comparing to Western nations sought the solution in fast modernization through a western method. Development of construction methods, emerging functions and vast projects of construction in this era paved the way for the participation of Western experts and consultants of these countries. Presence of these architectures in Pahlavi era in Iran, contemporary with the years of the first Turkish republic until the 1980 Turkish coup d’éat, caused modern period architecture in these countries to take distance from their historical background. This research attempts to explore the role of foreign architects and urban planners in the development of Iran’s and Turkey’s architecture, and the way they influence Iran’s and Turkey’s modern architecture through conducting a comparative study. Identifying the role of the architects in architectural developments and the way they are influenced by local and traditional architecture in Iran and Turkey have been questioned. Therefore, the research was conducted in two stages; first, through conducting a documentary study into modern architecture of Iran and Turkey, and then through performing a comparison between Iran and Turkey. The results of the research divided the role of foreign architects and city developers in the modern architectural developments of Iran and Turkey from 1920s to 1980s into two overall epochs, dealing with the comparison of the role of the architects in the two overall periods. According to the results of this study, the role of foreign architects and urbanists, whether in architectural education or in professional activities, was the same, while in the second period such similarity was not observed as it was influenced by domestic factors. Also the foreign architects in both countries have been influenced by the countries’ vernacular architecture.

From among art history written sources in Iran, one can enumerate two prefaces in the Safavid era were written by a decade interval. One preamble is Doust Mohammad Gvashany’s on Bahram Mirza Album (952 AH) and the other is that written by Qutb al-Din Muhammad Shah Tahmasp Album (964 AH). Many authors in the Safavid era, exploited directly and/ or indirectly these two prefaces ‘ content in order for writing books on calligraphy and painting. Quinn, the+author of Historical Writing book in the Reign of Shah ‘Abbas, believes that the authors have observed certain writing principles in these two prefaces such as references, the motives and reasons behind writing them and so on. This study, in a descriptive analytic method and based on library studies, aims at introducing two valuable prefaces of Iran art history’s written resources. Also, it seeks for answering this question: to what extent have Qesekhan been influenced by Doust Mohammad in writing the preamble. And attempts are made to this end for identifying the similarities and differences claimed by Quinn in these two prefaces. Among the differences raised between these two texts, is the difference in writing style and the absence of unity in authors’ attitude. Doust Mohammad, tells the story of calligraphy and painting in its historical process whereas Qesekhan seeks to create a literary text with an art history content. Although Doust Mohammad preface lacks some criteria, the authors both follow the principles which are counted by Quinn. Since the content of preface completes the other, the comparative study of them helps to remove some of the vague issues in Iran’s art history.