Typological Analysis of Iranian Painting in the 13th Century (Based on Saadi's Poems)
Subject Areas : Interdisciplinary Literary Studies
1 - Assistant Professor, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: Saadi, image, mural, illustrated version, painting,
Abstract :
Typological Analysis of Iranian Painting
in the 13th Century (Based on Saadi's Poems)
Ali Asqar Mirzaeimehr*
When Saadi's poems are analyzed concerning keywords associated with the visual arts, it becomes clear that he had an exceptional sensitivity to this field and reflected it in his poetry. This has led to the revelation of some previously unknown aspects of the history of Iranian painting. Can Saadi's poems be used to classify and identify the types of paintings from that era? The research findings show that Saadi's references to the art of painting are sometimes so novel that they necessitate the correction of some historical perspectives, including the exciting information he provides about the flourishing of portraiture for imitation in his poems. This article is written in a descriptive-analytical manner, and its content is obtained using library resources.
Keywords: Saadi, Image, Mural, Illustrated Manuscript, Persian Painting.
Introduction
Saadi was born in Shiraz in 1209. He received his early education in his hometown and then went to Baghdad to continue his studies. He also traveled to Hijaz, Levant, and Lebanon. He returned to Shiraz in 1257 and lived honorably at the court of the Salghurids. He died in 1291. This article explores the types of painting and various visual arts in the 13th Century beyond Saadi's poems. The significance of the findings of this research becomes clear when we remember that in the seventh Century, the flourishing era of Iranian painting had not yet begun, and historical sources on the subject were almost silent.
The reference version in this article is from "The Complete Text of the Divan of Sheikh Ajal Saadi Shirazi," edited by Mozaher Mosaffa. The testimonial verses and page number are also extracted from this version.
Research Background
Much research has been done in the field of literature, especially on Saadi's poems. On the other hand, many articles and books have been published about Iranian painting and Persian Miniature in the last Century. However, since interdisciplinary research is a relatively new phenomenon, not much salient effort has been made in the direction of the mutual relations between these two arts. Therefore, it can be said that this article is the first attempt in this direction.
Saadi and Painting
A careful study of Saadi's poems reveals that he frequently uses keywords related to the world of painting. Saadi's references to the visual arts and painting can be divided into two main groups:
A: Mural Painting
B: Iranian Painting and Book Design.
A: Murals
Saadi saw many mansions in his travels, so naturally, the murals on the walls of these mansions did not escape his keen eye. That is why he repeatedly refers to murals, including:
Once I became acquainted with the image of your face
Everything I behold now appears to me like the image on a wall (367)
If a man is just his eyes, his mouth, his throat, and his nose,
What difference lies between a painted wall and true humanity (783)
Paintings on the walls of the baths:
If one's speech is a drum filled with idle chatter
And silence resembles a baseless image in a bathhouse (302)
No form is a meaningless adornment, O Saadi's devotion
As the artist paints on the bathhouse door (789)
In Saadi's time, baths were among the buildings where figurative paintings were painted on the walls.
Painting on the Iwans:
The house is in ruins from its foundation
While the master is preoccupied with the decoration of the porch (103)
One must be of fair elaboration to craft images
With vermilion and tarnish adorning the doorways (113)
Whether executed on the Shah's porch or the facade of the bathhouse, these paintings were expected to be made with "tempera" or egg colors, which Iranians have long been familiar with.
B: Painting and Book Layout:
Since canvases and oil paints were not yet known in Iran during Saadi's time, the two main types of painting were the walls of buildings and the pages of books. Saadi is a man of knowledge, and he was in the company of great intellectuals and artists and had access to libraries, so it is evident that he was familiar with the art of book design and perhaps had a hand in it. Concepts and words related to painting and book design are abundant in Saadi's poems, including:
portrait, portraitist, portraiture;
Tell the Chinese silk painter: behold the face of my beloved
Either depict such a face, or forsake the art of portraiture (584)
Never has an artist crafted such a portrait
Nor has such a beloved been seen in any country (590)
Because the art of photography and the printing industry had not yet emerged, the high frequency of words such as "portrait" and "portraitist" in Saadi's poem refers to the flourishing of paintings of real people's faces and features.
Eye and eyebrow imitation;
I bring the sketch of your eyes and eyebrows to the portrait artist
And say to him, Draw the image of the archer's bow in this manner (588)
This thought-provoking verse sheds light on some of the dark corners of the history of painting in the Saadi era and back. In simple terms, the poet is addressing his lover here, saying; I am taking the imitation of your eyes and eyebrows to the painter with the request to paint his client's face like your beautiful face. In other words, to use your face as a model. One of the wonders of this verse is Saadi's use of the word "imitation", specifically "imitation of eyes and eyebrows."
The word "Imitation" means "to transcribe, that which they rewrote from" (Dehkhoda, 1937, vol. 14: 22458), and "Imitation of eyes and eyebrows" means a design taken or drawn from someone's face. Based on such verses, it can be said that this method existed in the art of Iranian painting. However, historical sources believe that portraiture with the aim of simulation is a souvenir of the West and is related to the post-Safavid era.
Another case where the word "imitation" is used again and sheds light on issues regarding the social history of art in Saadi's era;
If your portrait were displayed in the market
The artist would close his workshop (400)
Saadi says: 'If an imitation of your face is brought to the market, the painter should close down his shop, for his works will not prosper when compared to your face.'
First, like the previous verse, "imitation" of someone's face is used with the same meaning and usage as before. The second interesting point is "art shop", which shows that in Saadi's time, there was such a commercial and artistic center or unit that could respond to the visual and artistic demands of the people. The Shiraz orator has used the combination "imitation of a face" with the same meaning elsewhere.
I present this portrait of your face to the painter
So he may repent from the art of portraiture (586)
Regarding portraiture with a different theme, another amazing verse in Saadi's Divan sheds light on unknown aspects of the art history of those days.
Are you the cypress in the garden, or the moon, or a fairy
Or an angel, or the artist's sketchbook (589)
The verse is an explicit description of the manifestations of the lover. The additional combination of "a portraiture notebook" is interesting and strange, again indicating the existence of books or notebooks that painters or artists used as models or patterns. Continuing and confirming the same concept, he composes elsewhere;
When the painter beholds her face
He abandons his craft, letting go of his art (476)
Here, too, reference is made to the images that were placed in the painter's hands as models and standards. In line with the face in the opening stanza, what was placed in the painter's hands must have been images of portraits that would pale in comparison to the beauty of the lover's face.
Pictorial Fabrics: A group of these poems refers to images woven onto textiles;
The student of the tapestry weaver aptly remarked
As the phoenix ascends, and the elephant and giraffe embark
I cannot produce a portrait
For its design was not confined by the teacher's hand (271)
In these verses, Saadi, in addition to mentioning the weaving of pictorial fabrics with the motifs of Simurgh, elephants, and giraffes, makes an interesting reference to the use of patterns in handlooms of that day, which were placed above the loom for the use of the weaver's apprentice. Saadi also mentions silk fabrics decorated with images of beauties;
I saw the soil of Shiraz as a patterned silk
And all the beautiful faces depicted upon that silk (453)
Conclusion
The instability of materials has destroyed the visual heritage of distant eras. Given the scarcity of visual heritage, finding sources that increase our awareness of the history of art and painting will be a treasure.
Saadi refers to types of paintings in his era that are not mentioned in any historical source. This article, along with the enlightenment in one of the hidden perspectives of Persian literature, showed that some shortcomings of art history, mainly painting in the 13th Century, can be compensated for with new readings. Such as;
_ The flourishing of mural painting on the facade of baths, Ivans, and walls of houses.
_ The flourishing and popularity of drawing and painting people's faces aimed at simulating and naturalism.
_ Visual imitations exist on the subject of portraits and people's faces.
_ The possibility of the artist-painter's activity in personal and private workshops.
_ The existence of places in the public market area of cities to provide visual services to clients.
_ The flourishing production and weaving of fabrics decorated with human and animal imagery.
Based on these findings, the 13th Century in Iran can be considered a dynamic and diverse society in the art of painting. The existing sources of art history are silent in this regard.
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* Assistant Professor, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
Ali.a.Mirzaeimehr@gmail.com
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