Isfahan Period in Art

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Isfahan Period in Art

The “Isfahan Period” covers a span of about 125 years from 1598, when Shah Abbas the Great transferred the Iranian capital to Isfahan, to the city’s conquest in 1722 by the Afghans. without doubt, it is the highest point of Isfahan’s long, rich history of art. Architecture and art developed in Isfahan on three main levels: the refined, the monumental, and the utilitarian. The fine arts, particularly painting and the whole arts of the book, were commissioned primarily for private use and were produced mainly for privileged connoisseurs. Great monumental structures – like most of the famed architecture of Isfahan – were design to convey the glories of the state, the power of the monarch, and the strength of the faith. Bazaars and caravansarais, along with pottery, carpets, and textiles, were created with the purpose of economic advantage.

Regretfully, there is a disquieting quality about much of Iranian art in this period. Cheaper materials and techniques were employed, and quality and subtlety were often markedly diminished. The artifacts of this period work effectively at a distance but often disappoint when seen close up. However, although, technically unsound, the Safavid objects astonish one with the opulence of forms and the diversity of designs.

Most important arts in Isfahan:

Miniature

The word miniature, derived from the Latin verb miniare indicates a small illustration used to decorate an ancient or medieval illuminated manuscript; the simple illustrations of the early codices having been miniated or delineated with that pigment. The generally small scale of such medieval pictures has led to etymological confusion with minuteness and to its application to small paintings, especially portrait miniatures, which did however grow from the same tradition and at least initially used similar techniques.

Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a broad tip instrument, brush, or other writing instruments. A contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as “the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious, and skillful manner

Carpets

A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century, synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon or polyester are often used, as these fibers are less expensive than wool. The pile usually consists of twisted tufts which are typically heat-treated to maintain their structure. The term carpet is often used interchangeably with the term rug, although rugs are typically considered to be smaller than a room and not attached to the floor.

Poetry

Poetry (derived from the Greek poiesis, “making”) is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language—such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre—to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.

Metalwork

Metalworking is the process of working with metals to create individual parts, assemblies, or large-scale structures. The term covers a wide range of work from large ships and bridges to precise engine parts and delicate jewelry. It therefore includes a correspondingly wide range of skills, processes, and tools.