Image of Iranian Painting

 

Mehrdad  Ahmad Amiraghaie

 

ABSTRACT:

To study Iranian painting we should turn back to millenniums BC. The most important images of Iranian cavemen is related to a cave in Lorestan, West region of Iran, called “Myrmelas” in which designs of war, hunting, and human and animal figures were drawn on its walls.In the later stages, the visual arts of Iran slowly found special features including the tendency to decoration and attention to details, use of black lines on the margins of designs, creating symmetry in drawing and other symbolic motifs. Features that during the centuries caused the emergence of many different styles of painting. This paper is an attempt to comprehend techniques and styles of Iranian painting from the beginning up to the end of Ghajar’s period.

 

INTRODUCTION:

Persia took its name from people that in the year 539 BC made Babylon as their hometown and became heir of Assyrian empire, an extensive high plateau in the East of Mesopotamia and is surrounded by high mountains from all sides of the field. Iran, from prior periods of history was always a gateway for immigration of tribes of Asian steppes from the North, Indians from the East and also was house of countless tribes. Tribes that by entering to this land either mixed with indigenous people or migrated due to the wares. However, what we can gain today from this land are their remaining traces throughout the history such as wooden, metal, and stone works and generally are applicable tools which are called “Hobo Tools”. Tools, that in addition to the application, had many decorative designs and patterns called “Animal Designs style” (Jenson, 1980 AD, p.58) and were drawn on objects with a fictional and abstract method. An interesting point is that in spite of the influence of Mesopotamian art in Iran, animal designs continued their evolution and took place on the bodies of many works, also human body was less embodied by Iranian artists and even if they embodied human body, it was not equal with the level of human. Iranian expertise in drawing animal designs survived through the centuries and found a specific representation in “Hobo Tools” (Jenson, 1980 AD, p.58) and Lorestan’s gunmetal works that had a certain resemblance with works of Asian inhabitants.

 

1) ancient periods:

the most important recognized images of Iranian cave living human related to a cave in lorestan, the western regions of Iran called as Mirmalas there are some tableaus of fight, hunting, animal and human bodies with black and red colors or mountain tableaus in the region of

Kohdasht involving scenes of fighting, hunting with are and arrow and motifs of animals like dog, horse and goat, cave Doosheh and place of Karshoorab are another regions in lorestan with similar motifs, ancient period metals of lorestan of the 12th – 8th century are the most important resources of Iranian art history that their attributes are animal active and natural motifs and human bodies in full forms and static.(fig.1)

 

Fig. 1: Ceremony dances place. Khomein mountains

 

2) Historical periods:

The animal and human motifs, circle, square and motifs like mountain, wavy water, sun and moon have been the most prevailing materials of ancient images in Iranian art, in these periods, combined motifs of human and animal occurr with supernatural characters, like an animal with wings and four feet or a snake like a cat, at time of Mads except several bas relief there is no work, from era of Achaemeoid we can point out to tilework or bas relief of persepolis, that although in shape and structure, have root of beinonalrain, but in items there has been no attempt in declaring human psychological states in faces and moves or volumes, also tendency to de coration and detail miniature are other characters which are seen in works of next periods of Iranian art.From Parthian era related to the first century a.c. and in sassanid era related to the third century a.c. some images remained that each of them has special landmarks influencing very much on art of Islamic periods like using black lines at motifs edge and not executing highlight shadow in coloring or decorating and making symmetry in designing and composing orange circular designs, we can find most of symbolic motifs at this era with little difference in art works of beinonahrain and regions western Asia. (fig .2)

 

Fig. 2: Part of sout stairs. bas relief of a soldier. persepolis. achaemenid

 

1-2) Mani:

The Manichaeism ceremony became prevailing by an Iranian person named Mani with claim of prophetess and was born in an Parthian family in 216 a.c. He believed that world is based on light and darkness and thus there is bad and good and they are against each other at the world and finally good will influence on bad, this ceremony with high tendency to internalize and divine pathway began its prevailing via painting, a book with images to Arzhang or arthang belongs to him he had used art of Parthian era as a pattern and then his followers meanwhile getting familiar with art of other lands completed his painting method. The most works related to Manichaeism art was found from a region named Toorphan in eastern Turkistan in Gobi desert which has been the most important center of Manichaeism between the 7th – 8th centhry lunar hegira (1279-1379 a.c.). Manichaeism besides to art of Parthian and Sassanid was influenced by art of sodium, Hindos and Budalans with land marks of lotus flower or tendency to making symmetry. [1] The Manichaeism art characters seen usually in Iranian painting works include using golden lines, using vertical frame and executing faces as bilateral and opposed to each other as in full face, designing persons with short bodies and big heads with something around the heads , using sharp colors and gold and silver for decorating and shining and also sing  blue and red colors as integrated base. The Manichaeism painters after Islam were supported by Islamic courts and were real founders of miniature in Islamic periods including bag dad school. (fig. 3)

 

Fig. 3:Separated tableau from a Manichaeism. book musicians. tourphan the 8 th 9^th century A.C

 

3) Transition periods:

Due to destructing Sassanid state, Islamic period began in Iran, at the first years of this era i.e. from 30-430 lunar hegira (609-1009 a.c.) that Islam was spread from china till Jibelotaregh, many artistic changes were apparent, like miniature that began its new life from eastern lands.As Abbasian and omavian got power, the Iranian share became more at growth of Islamic arts and their art traditions is seen like using symmetrical composition and coloring without highlight shadow i.e. Sassanid art attributes clearly in palaces wall painting but the most important art event at this era was establishing the first art school and nook imaging in Bagdad, where a method named Bagdad painting school i.e. Abbasid was appeared.

 

 

1-3) painting schools:

After beginning Islamic periods in Iran in painting, different schools were created that each of them had special landmarks and attributes.

 

1-1-3) Baghdad school, Abbasid:

By appearing Abbasian during years 133-656 lunar hegira (712-1235 a.c.) Bagdad was the first painting and book imaging center in world of Islam, in this school Christians and Iranian artists were making images of linear works like Kelileh and Demeneh, Magamata Hariri or books in Arabic, Greek, sanscrete and palhavi with technical and scientific aspect, this school was in fact combination of manavian, bizans, classic images traditions and descriptive realization. (fig.4)

 

Fig. 4: Lion and its pair. book of profits of animal ibnebakhtishooh. Bagdad school.(1283-A.C)

 

2-1-3) Saljogi school:

By appearing saljogian state in 429 lunar hejire (1008 a.c) book imaging became prevailing in a special method and with Iranian attributes and omitting used characters in Bagdad painting school i.e. Abbasi like race attributes and Christian style clothes, in linear copies of this school, painting was executed directly on book page, motifs and decorations usually with red color on text covered background and decorated clothes with flower and plant and arabesque style clothes.(fig.5)

 

 

Fig. 5:Head tableau. court scenes book of alteriag. probably mosel.(unknowndate)

3-1-3) Tabriz school, mongolia:

By at tacking monguls in 616 lunar hegira (1195 a.c.) to Iran many art sites centers were destructed in cities like Rays Nei shabour, karazm, Samargand and marv and it cansed artists to immigrate 40 other cities in Iranian plateau like Marageh, Tabriz, Sultanieh and Bagdad, in Tabriz by attempt of khajeh Rashid-al-din fazlolah was established involving huge set named Rashidi or Rashidieh containing library, hospital, mosque and art workplaces, and this city became center of science, culture and art, and also origin of appearing new school in painting named Tabriz or Mongulian painting school influenced by Chinese tableaus specially in drawing nature and bizans art. (fig. 6)

 

Fig. 6: Sultan (king) sinjer and peots. Tabriz school (Mongol) .(1300.A.C)

4-1-3) shiraz school:

Shiraz, as a guard of Iranian remaining art and original values due to not attacking of mongouls in the 8th century lunar hejireh(1379 a.c) became as a secure place for painting and a school was established there

which added many innovations on Iranian painting, although had maintained and continued painting traditions before mongoul attack and had very good firmness in view of work style unity, also Bagdad was another focus of miniature in time of Jalayerian state and at the time of the last governor i.e. Ahmad shah Jalayeri [2] by beginning the 9th century lunar hegira (1479 a.c.) in time of Taymoorian, shiraz school renaissance is begun, this school in financed very much on art schools of Samargand harat and in next periods specialy zandieh period that style named flower and hen appeared in painting, and in this period again Sassanid wall painting style and method is seen in miniature works, this school miniaturists by omitting bizans and Chinese elements and space making new method as making different levels ad adjusted to each other with objects and human bodies gave special attributes to their works which is origin of new change in painting (fig. 7)

 

Fig. 7: Image of shahnameh. fight between zanganeh and EKhvast shiraz  school. (1312 .A.C)

 

5-1-3) Harat school:

In 783 lunar hegira,(1363 a.c) Timoor attacks to Iran via Khorasan and till 796 lunar hejireh governed on all parts of Iran, he sent artists and craftsmen to Samargand, this era with all ruins and killings is one of the most outstanding of Iranian painting period, with his death in 808 lunar hegira (1387 a.c.) his son, shahrokh became king and selects Harat as the capital, shahrokh who beloved in art by supporting artists provided re – existence in Iranian art, after he, his son named Baisongor Mirza who was interested in calligraphy interested and by his order a big library was constructed in Harat and no longer by gathering manye Harat artists, this city becomes a valid center in editing and developing Iranian arts and base of a school is founded that although i near relation with shiraz school but it had manifestation of Iranian pure thought and interest, then this school is recognized under title of Harat art school.(Tajvidi.1996 a.c)

 

The regular and symmetrical combination in arabesque move is one of the main landmarks of this school and by complete omit of Chineese elements and appearing Iranian element of shiraz school in tableaus of this period background of creating an Iranian school is provided which was new in issues and concepts, the other attributes of this style is distance among images that in several level became as image that nearness and remoteness of its elements becomes apparent via levels after each other or on each other. Kamal-al-din behzad is the landmark of artists of this period provides basic changes in Iranian painting by innovation in concepts and issues technique and execute manner and also his realistic view to human. (fig .8)

 

Fig. 8:Image of sadi garden flee of yousef from zolaikha by kamal-al-din behzad Harat school.(1475. A.C)

 

6-1-3) Bokharah school:

In 913 lunar hegira (1492 a.c.) Harat is conquered by shibek khan azbek and by his order, artists were transferred from Harat to Bokhara, and it is repeated in 943 lazar hegira (1523 a.c.) when harat again has been attacked by Uzbek, thus in the 10th century hegira,(16 a.c) Bokhara becomes to cultural center in middle asia and with immigrant and local artists who painted in method of timoori and style of kamal-al-din behzad, makes background of a school in painting then was called bother a school which saw two periods, the first period was related to getting impression from Harat school by transferring students of this school to Bokhara and the second period relates to independent growth.(Pakbaz.1999a.c)The main landmark of this school is in painting works, clothes and human bodies head with long hat and its lower part is covered by main clothes.(fig. 9)

 

 

Fig. 9:Image of lesanotair book. becoming mads of sheikh sanhan bokhara school.(1523.A.C)

 

7-1-3) Tabriz school (safavid):

After ozbeks and establishing an unit state in Iran named safavi, artists could immigrate to other cities, this period combined different schools of painting is one of the brightest periods of Iranian painting art history.Tabriz school has two clear periods, the first period relates to king Tahmaseb that by presence of kamal-al-din Behzad, and soltan Mohammad woks like shahnameh tahmasebi and khamseh nezami are created and the second period which begins from king abbas, painting gets less importance and foreign works are shaped as copy of European works and drawing human faces, natural scenes and land scapes becomes common, also in this period wall painting becomes prevailing, the most important landmark of this school is drawing head cover of persons as Gazelbash[3] hat and its up part has red color, although then other colors are used, totally realism and varieties in combination is as making different levels and showing main events and innovation in methods and concepts as attributes of painting of this school.(fig. 10)

 

 

Fig. 10:Khamseh Nezami. prophet Mohammad flight by: sultan Mohammad.Tabrizschool(safavid).(1529.A.C)

 

8-1-3) Qazvin school:

In 955 lunar hejireh(1535a.c) by transferring capital from Tabriz to Qazvin by king Tahmaseb a new view is seen in Iranian painting which involved flow designs with natural and simple issues but by in considering of king Tahmaseb to artists, most of them went to Mashhad, this period is between Qazvin and Tabriz school with attributes like innovation in imaging natural scenes for showing spread space drawing natural faces and also varieties of colors specially white in combination, and it makes change in painting of Qazvin school at the second half of the 10th centary lunar hejireh,(1580a.c) land marks of this school include hat with small edge with a strip, drawing natural issues, simplicity in execution and imaging princesses, the persons in court, and the great men (fig.11) 

 

 

Fig. 11: Image of shahnameh king ismaeil passing fire of siavash against keikavoos and sudabeh. by:Ali Asgahr.Qazvin school. (1564.A.C)

 

9-1-3) Isfahan school:

Isfahan was chosen as capital by king Abbas in 1000 lunar hejireh (1580 a.c.) and Iran gets new situation, in this era by influencing enropean art in thought structure and painting visnal elements serious changes were begun in this art method this school that basically pays less attention for human bodies in its works, uses other decorating elements less like color, decoration motifs and soon and then pays attention more to architecture, the landmarks of this school include human bodies painting with big clothes, liniar designs, couple face decorating as single and beloved and decreasing personalities in works, the most famous artist of this era is Reza Abbasi who is one of painters of safavid school at the second period and has an unique method in his pain tings, he loves nature and was very skill full in drawing individual face images, ajhe draws face anatomy with limited lines and exact curves as natural faces i.e. he is a realistic artist and his style effect and method was so that in era of the furst king Abbas safavi, isfahan painting school was synonym as name of Reza Abbasi school but in this era by entering images of European paintings to iran painting as an art gives its place to wall painting and even by order of king abbas some hollandian painters come to the court and gvadually European art infiuences in Iranian art and painting gets another pathway. (Korkian.1999a.c) (fig. 12.13)

 

 

Fig. 12:Scarifying prophet Ibrahim. by; Mohammad Zaman.(unknowndate)

 

 

Fig. 13:The alone shepherd. by Reza Abbasi. Isfahan school.(1604.A.C)

10-1-3) Gajar school:

Gajar painting school that its most land marks is in glasses making in fact appeared from Zandieh and Afsharieh dynasties that Iranian painting was impnessed by envopean art combined in two enropean and Iranian art method, some researchers of this era, remind it as begin of school of Iranian construction, in general Gajar painting school can be divided into two main parts:

 

a)from king Fathali, i.e. the second Gajarian king till begin of governing king Naser-al-din by combining attributes of european painting like naturalism and perspective and Iranian painting like making symmetry, in this era wall painting became prevailing using oil color and painting methods named Gahvekhane painting or religion and popular.b)from King Naser-al-din till governing first Pahlavi(King Reza).The short talk at end years of this era, there was a fate far Iranian painting which was changed completely and in a short time and then new art moves was created. (fig. 14)

 

 

Fig. 14:Oil color curtain. mirror hall by:kamalolmolk Gajar school.Tehran.(unknowndate)

 

CONCLUSION:

1-Iranian imagery arts that ahd begun its shaping from before history as wall painting in Iranian plateau with samples in kohdasht, tangeh karshourab and gardousheh from lorestan and also ancient objects of loresten belong to the 8th – 12th century lunar hejireh in historical periods also had continued its life as book decoration, tilework motifs and in Islamic era of iran from the 14 th – 17 th a.c. (the 8th – 11the lunar hejireh) as the highest point , shows the most manifestation till the 15th a.c. (the 9th lunar hejireh) as books imagery and from the second quarter of the 16 ti century a.c. (the 10 the lunar hejireh) is represented as independent art.

 

2-Totally we can divide Iranian images arts into two main branches and threeperiods:

a) ancient period (before history)

b) historical period

c) transition period

the two geographical branches include:

 

West branch with bilateral relation with bizans art (east room)east branch prevailing in east of lran and during next times by getting impressions from image arts of far east lands like china, Iranian painting different schools like harat.

 

3-We should say that Iranian painter as clear is faced with chineese paiting twice, the first time at the 8th century lunar hejireh (1379 a.c) in time of likhanan that chineese and Iranian painters in a center named Rashidi quarter in Tabriz work on liniar copies, then in the 9th century lunar hejireh (1479a.c.) i.e. in time of timoorian due to political trade and cultural inelations between two countries iran and china the second face happens.In this art use, the Iranian painters exert their view in creating tableaus like using line element for surveying more exact nature items and attention to details influenced by chineese art and is changed by Iranian artists to visual space and achieving to function in composition or function that line finds in drawing architecture elements, as using horizontal and vertical lines and its relation to apparent relations in drawing architecture space of a tableau also making lines with highlight shafow causes line qualities and makes volume without using perspective or color high light shadow for making volume also we can recognize three periods with different land marks from begin of Islamic era till end of Qajar era (the 19th century a.c., the 13 the lunar hejireh) in Islamic – Iranian painting.the first period from the first century lunar hejireh till the 13 th century lunar hejireh in this era Islamic – Iranian painting by impression from bizans art (east room) and art of sassanid and Parthian eva and also manavian art continued to its life with issues like hauting scenes, using human matifs, plant and tree forms as symmetry and using even colors with highlight and making two dimension spaces, using pen and influenced element of decoration on works, at end of this era, painting calmly takes distance from method of bizans painting (east room).The second Islamic –iranian painting era is begun by  attacking and influencing mogouls on iran i.e. from the end of the 13th century a.c. (the 7the lunar hejireh) till end of the 17th century ac. (the 11th entury lunar hejireh) is continued, this period the highest point of islamic – iranian painting is at this era, in which, different schools are shaped with Iranian original land marks and attributes like schools of shiraz, harat and tabriz (safavi) but from the 17 th century a.c. 9the 11th century lunar hejireh) by entering art works from europe and relation of safavi court with gorcani painting in India a movement is shaped in Iranian painting as foreign using attributes whese is the 3td era of islamic – Iranian painting at end of this century.By influencing west art at end of the 17th centary a.c. (the 11th lunar hejieh) as safavi era in iran the 3rd painting era  hegins and continues till end of Qajar era i.e. the 19 the century a.c. 9the 13 th lunar hejireh), from this era as confused era named Islamic – Iranian painting takes distance from Islamic view and philosophy vases provides intellectual space making in works and takes the face of this world but some artists try to maintain painting traditional and original values.

 

FOOTPRINTS:

[1-] Victory of Sassanid kings on Parthian opened influence way of Iranian art to bood ceremony central asia.

 

[2-] Some researchers remember this era with title of the second school of Baghdad or jalayeri school. Style of paintings of this school due to presence of shiraz paintrs is inflnenced from shiraz school

 

[3-] Gezelbash hat was a red hat which a cover with 12 cracks as sign of 12 shiieh imams of isnahashari and as a cone shape.

 

REFERENCES:

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2.     Pakbaz, roein. Iranian painting from long ago till now .(2007a.c)Tehran, the 6 the edition of zarin and simin publications.

3.     Poop. Arthur, Eibham. Iranian painting forms (1999a.s)translated by yagoob azhand Tehran . Mola publications.

4.     Tajvidi. Akbar. view to Iranian palnting art (from begin till the 10th century hejireh)(1999a.c), organization for edition and publications of ministry of Islamic culture and guidance.

5.     Tajvidi, akbar. Iranian painting from the oldest time till safavi era .(1973a.c)Tehran , publications of general office of artand culture ministry.

6.     Saif. Hadi . Gahvekhane painting .(1990a.c), Tehran. publications of culture and higher education, cultural heritage organization, general office oftehran museums (Reza Abbasi museum)

7.     Korkian. A.M. Siker. Sh.p imagination gardens .(1999a.c). translated by parviz marzban. Tehran . day farzan publications.

8.     Janson.Horst.woldemar.History of Art.(1962a.c).translated by Parviz Marzban.Tehran.publication of culture and higher education.cultural heritage organization.p.612

9.     Pakbaz.Roien.1999a.c.Art Encyclopedia.Tehran.contemporary Art and culture publication.p.1033