نشریه هنرهای زیبا - هنرهای تجسمی
سال هجدهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 56، زمستان 1392)

This article tries to look at the jewels of the ancient Luristan (nowadays Luristan province and some parts of Ilam and Kermanshah provinces)، and to have a survey on this precious art and its typology. These jewels have been gathered by way of many scientific and unscientific excavations at last decades in the ancient sites like: Kalmakareh، Varkaboud، KalVali، Sorkh Dom، Kamtarlan (Kaftarlan)، ChoghaSabz، Mir Vali، Dom Avizeh، Badavar، Chaman، Bardbal، Shurabeh، Piravand، Paigal and KotalKalKal in Luristan، Ilam and Kermanshah. These jewels often have been found in female graves. Bronze Age in Iran contains years from 3000 to 1500 BC. Iron Age in Iran includes years from 1500 to 550 BC. Our most important purposes are: 1. A survey on techniques of making and decorating in the Luristan jewelry. 2. Typology and semiology of the Luristan jewelry based on form، material، usage and motifs. Researchers believe these handmade artifacts to be native and territorial. Also they think that these artifacts had formed in a long process and with combination ofnative experiences with the art of adjacent cultures (Assyria، Babylon، Elamite، Mitanni and Urartu)، and the art of immigrant tribes like Kassite، Gutian،Lullubi،Hurrian and Scythian. These jewels have at least twelve different materials، including: bronze، iron، glass، agate، azure، seashell، diverse stones، glass paste، ivory، bone، gold and silver. Metallic items have been built with two techniques: molding and hammering. Also these jewels have at least twelve dissimilar types and usages، including: Pins، bracelets، necklaces، earrings، pendants، cuffs or leg decorations، rings and seals، headbands، ouches، buttons، mirrors and fillets. The studied items belong to the historical range of Bronze Age and Iron Age in Iran (from third since first millennium BC). We have traced these artifacts in the Iranian museums like: National museum of Iran، Reza Abbasi museum and FalakolAflak museum، also in the world important museums like: Louvre museum، Metropolitan museum of art، Boston museum، Cleveland museum and Zurich museum، and in the private collections like: David – Will collection، Ackerman - pope collection، Stora collection and Mouza collection. Research data have been gathered in a library and museum survey. Research method is comparativeanalysis of forms and materials ofjewels. We have tried to classify them، to have a total typology. There are many different artistic decorations on these handmade artifacts. Patterns like: gods and goddesses، man، various kinds of animals (like: snake، lion، goat، ram، deer، eagle، vulture، fish، bull، rooster، duck، gopat and shirdal، etc.) and plants (like: lotus، pomegranate، tree of life، clover tetramerous، etc.)، animals with human faces، hunting scenes and geometric motifs. These designs are sometimes too delicate and realistic، and sometimes abstract and mysterious. They have buried these jewels with their owners as an ornament for the life after death. But how can we interpret their motivations of making these artifacts? Maybe their need for fertility، hope for victory over the enemy، fear of the unknown life after death، or trying to ward off evil spirits.

Decorative arts have got a special place in Iranian architecture traditionally. These types of arts are the symbol of nation''s ethnics and indigenous features and also express the artist''s feelings of those times. Stucco is one type of the decorative arts that has decorated many buildings -especially palaces-that belong to the pre-Islamic period and also mosques that built in the Islamic era. Plant patterns can be considered as one of the remarkable pattern in stucco art. In pre-Islamic time، various examples of those patterns have been seen in Ctesiphon palace in Sassanid Persian Empire. The purpose of this paper is study and recognition of plant motifs in stucco of the Sassanian Palace (Palace of Ctesiphon) and reform of them in three historical mosques in early Islamic period in Iran. In other words، by the use of descriptive and analytical method، this research explains and classifies plant motifs in stuccoes remained from Sassanian period، and then compares it with the ones in three mosques (Mosque of Nain، Mosque of Ardestan and Mosque Of Isfahan) in Islamic architecture of Persia. Plant motifs in stuccoes of Sassanian palaces، are abstracted from nature and have gotten different forms that are as follows: Palmetto motifs، vines and ivies، lotus flower، grape and pomegranate، the lotus flower and rosette، oak-like motif، leaves of fig and motifs like stylized leaves; such as figs، palms، artichokes and lotus leaves. By the emergence of Islam in Iran، religious believes affected the art and artistic trends. Duo to the prevention of using human and animal figurers in stucco design; these motifs altered and became more complicated. Plant motifs in Sassanid time faced some changes and then were represented as arabesque in Islamic period. Its unique examples can be found in the mosques of this period. Most popular Islamic arabesques are rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling stems that end at a form like trunk of an elephant or open mouth of Torpedoes. Besides them، vine leaves and grape clusters، acanthus leaves، flower leaves، pot plants، rounded leaves، palm leaves; pine، pear and pomegranate are other forms of arabesque. In most of the cases، Islamic arabesque are found in combination with plant motifs from Sassanid era. In Nain mosque، besides the use of Palmetto and Acanthus motifs from Sassanid era، the grape motifs had appeared in different way. The woven grape motifs have covered parts of the columns and sanctuary. The use of some different forms of plant motifs in this mosque can be partly an experimental practice. In Ardestan mosque، the emergence of the initial Islamic arabesques can be seen. These motifs have not been fully abstracted yet and its combinations are reminder of famous carvings in Taq-e Bostan. Also، the frieze on the entrance Ivan of the mosque is a combination of manuscript and arabesque. In Isfahan Mosque، arabesque motifs evolved and different types of arabesques emerged; especially in the sanctuary of the Oljeitu. Moreover، in many cases Quranic verses are seen in combination of arabesque.

A collection of 100 pieces of painted potteries related to the time period from the fourth to the first millenniums B. C. has been studied in this research. These valuable pieces have been obtained through the excavation of TappeGiyan and Godin Tappe، located in south west of Iran. This region including Zagros heights and its downhill places have fertile soil، plenty of water sources and are protected by high mountains so the first residents of Iran''s region appeared to reside in there and because of the closeness to the Mesopotamia used to be an important gate to the civilized world. This region in the second and third millennium B. C. was one of the most important centers of Iran. The studies on Godin Teppe and TeppeGiyan and several urban areas in western Iran، show this matter well. Some of the potteries studied in this research are kept out of public display in pottery treasure of Dafineh Museum. So far no study has conducted on the potteries، so in this work a specific study on visual elements has been tried to be done in details. The researcher has studied the paintings descriptively and analyzed them through categorizing in a morphologic approach. The intermetive gathering method was based on a combined method of descriptive research method that is used in literature study and a field study including observation and photography that are used in data collecting. In summary، the purpose of this research is to find out about the quality of visual elements of the paintings and the relations between the shapes and the appearances of the potteries. The outcome of the study shows that 76. 3% of the paintings are of virtual and geometrical. These kinds of paintings are often related to the universal concepts like mountains، sky، earth and farm fields and are symbols of the close relationship between their creators and the natural surroundings in Zagros mountains. 16. 1% of the paintings are of animal shapes. The variety and diversity of the paintings about birds both on water and land are very well reminding the fertile living ecosystem of the surrounding mountains. 7. 6% of the paintings also relates to planets category. In paintings، simplicity is dominated and using lines has the basic and the most important role. Curved and circle lines are mostly used and the direction are inclined. In total 6 geometrical space limits can be identified through the paintings. Main characteristics such as symmetry، texture and rythem are seen significantly in the painting''s compositions. In fact the artist has achieved the unity principal by using symmetry and frequencies. In this type of composition the elements are arranged in a way that they move around the painted same centered circles on the potteries. This remineds of the universe that follows the same moving system. Generally the paintings are drawn on the most viewed angles and sides of the potteries، which means on76% of potteries the upper of the subject has been for drawing the paintings.

The family of Najaf Ali Isfahani were unique in Safawid and Qajar Periods. No family has played a more prominent role in the painting of court life as more as Najaf Ali’s Family. Najaf Ali in recognition of his work in Lacquer painting was foremost among the lacquer painters. Under Afsharid and Zand periods، lacquer works further developed and Ali Ashraf was one of prominent painters in this manufacture. Muhammad Baqir was one of his pupil in lacquerworks and many of his works known examples of Afsharid and Zand periods. One of Muhammad Baqir’sson was Najaf Ali Isfahani. Najaf Ali was pupil of Muhammad Sadiq، another celebrated lacquerer and friend of Muhammad Baqir. From their works one can ascertain the excellence of the lacquerworks made during this period. In their lacquerworks designs was bold and superabundance of small detail of flowers that characterized lacquerworks of his periods. Under Qajar period، style of Farangisazi (Europeanized style) was accepted by painters and developed in lacquerworks. Many fine pieces of lacquer known from early Qajar era. This pieces was made by court painters as Najaf Ali، which was laureate painter (Naggashbashi) of Qajar court. Marked featured of his works are improved methods of lacquer، especially an attractive from design in which beautifully written poems are interwoven with patterns. In this prespect he was rather like many of Persian lacquerers Qajar court. «YaShah-i Najaf» was signature of Najaf Ali which can mean both Imam Ali، first Imams of Shiite religion، and his name Najaf Ali. All painter of 12th century had multiple signatures depending on their patron، teacher and one of holy Imam name. Three biographical sketches about Najaf Ali came in three records. 1. in Benjamin «Persia and the Persian»; 2. in the letters of Schafier; 3. In the married Qabalah of his daughter، Sabiyah Sultan. Meeting these three records and works of Najaf Ali، I proposed to make to his biography in this paper research. In my opinion، which was arise from married Qabalah record، Najaf Ali was son of Muhammad Baqir (the eminent painter of Zand and Qajar periods) not son of Aqa Baba، the painter، which Robinson and others proposed. Then he was the celebrated laureate painter (Naqqashbashi) of Muhammad Shah Qajar. He had three sons: Kazim، Ja’far and Ahmad which were talented artists in lacquerworks. Najaf Ali was most prolific of Persian painters. Benjamin who was American consul in Persia in the 1880s، formed the impression that he was one of the most noted painters of Qajar era and pupil of Muhammad Sadiq. He announced that Muhammad Taqi، one of the celebrated painter and Muddahib in Bazzar of Tehran his pupil. Works of Najaf Ali included of Qalamdans، Mirror-cases، boxes، covers and so on. These have a highly original design of girls and cupids amongst a mass of vegetation and lovely birds and flowers of excellent quality.

The Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) is a long epic poem written by the Iranian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010. This literary masterpiece، which tells the mythical and somehow the historical past of the Persian Empire، was always been the center of attention of the royal courts، the governors، the cultural people، artists and especially the painters. This book is been more than any other literary work in Iran illustrated. The several ever known valuable manuscripts of this book were always the criterion for other painters. The illustrations of Shahnameh، of the same weight of the poems، have introduced the epic message of Ferdowsi to other countries and cultures all over the world. Several illustrated versions of Shahnameh are now in the most important art collections in the world، some of which have so far remained unknown. The illustrated Shahnameh which will be introduced in this article is an unknown and newfound manuscript. This manuscript was previously belonged to the Office of Farah Pahlavi (the former Queen of Iran) and on the occasion of the fiftieth year of Pahlavi Dynasty، on the day of the Iranian New Year (1976) had been awarded by Farah Pahlavi to the Mohammadreza Shah. But it is not clear، how، where from and through which dealer it had been brought to the royal court. This manuscript that was not allowed to access till many years after the Islamic Revolution (1979) had been so far not studied by any researcher and therefore it has been remained unknown. But because of its resorted cover and the high quality of its paintings and more other indications، it could be realized، that this manuscript was in the former times a part of the royal library of the Qajar Dynasty. After the Islamic Revolution it has been brought and kept in the royal library of the Niavaran Palace-Museum. From the notes of the scribe on the last page، it can be proofed that this manuscript was ordered in 1008 AH in Herat by “Hassan Khan-e Shamlou” (the governor of Herat from 1007 to 1028 AH). These study، in addition to introducing these manuscript and its miniatures، names it as “Shahnameh-e Shamlou”. Shahnameh-e Shamlou has totally 44 no signature miniatures، tow illustrated inscriptions on the first page and tow spandrel on the last page. This manuscript is written by “Jani Ibn- e Mohammad-e Quasem-e Mo’men”، called “Asah-e Kirmani”، has 456 sheets of 25 × 38/5 cm and is written on “Dowlatabadi” paper. The miniatures are illustrated of the Isfahan painting style in the early eleventh century AH and probably had more than one illustrator. On some Paintings the figures of women are taller than their usual proportions and also taller than men. On some other paintings، as the usual painting style of Isfahan school، some pet animals like dogs and cats can be seen. Skilful illustration، elegantly drawing and painting and masterly co

The Gulistān Palace Library in Tehran owns a manuscript of Kalila va Dimna (Ms. 2198)، a Persian version، by Nasr Allāh Munshi. The volume consists of 107 folios، and the text is written in an elegant nasta’liq. However، the manuscript is defective: there is no colophon، nor any other indication to show the date and/or place at which it was executed. The manuscript’s first public appearance was at Burlington House، in London، in 1931. Since then، it has been much discussed in both scholarly and more popular literature. All agree that it should be placed at some point in the 9th/15 century، given the characteristics of its fine paintings and excellent calligraphy; many، but differing، hypotheses have been proposed as to just when، in this century،، it would have been produced. This article is devoted to an analysis of its calligraphy، comparing it with the recorded style of writing of a well-known scribe of the period، Mawlānā Azhar al-Tabrīzī. Azhar was a celebrated calligraphic figure of the 9th/15 century، one of the pupils of Mawlānā Ja’far Bāysunghuri who worked in the library-workshop of Bāysunghur، in Herat. He is named in many historical works; one of them Matla’ al-Sa’dayn written by ‘Abd al-Razzāq Samarqandī who called him one of the masters of the “six styles“. Azhar’s best known work is a collection of mourning elegies، conventionally titled Jūng-i Mī’rasī; this was dedicated to Bāysunghur and presented to Shah Rukh in 837 H. after Bāysunghur’s death. As it carries a colophon in the name of Azhar، this article compares some passages of its calligraphy to that of the Gulistan Library ‘s Kalila u Dimna. The comparisons have been made on the basis of the traditional principles of Persian calligraphy، the mūfradāt، and the composition of words، the tarkībāt; special attention has been paid to the horizontal and vertical lines called the kūrsī (base-line). In all the comparative examples، the following are examined: the combination of words، the harmony between letters، and the proportional size of the letters. Certain features have been particularly singled out: both the strength، and the slenderness، of the letters، or movements، and curves; as well other characteristics، such as the flatness or roundness of stretched، curved، or otherwise notably shaped letters. The careful examination of the detailed features as noted above، however، only provides the “building blocks” of such a comparative study. In order to comprehend the aesthetic differences and similarities between two given pieces of calligraphy، one must draw back to consider the entire effect of the composition، altogether. As is usually the case، the virtue and value of the calligraphy of the Gulistan Library’s Kalila u Dimna can be more fully perceived after such a careful examination. In light of the similarity of features between the calligraphy of this manuscript، and documented examples of Azhar’s characteristic style of writing، this article concludes by proposing that the scribe of the Gulistan Palace Library’s well-known Kalila va Dimna manuscript is likely to be Mawlana Azhar al-Tabrizi.

After the emergence of industrial design، there is a serious need to find solutions for industrial problems as research projects. A standard design process starts with gathering data and categorizing and analyzing them after finding a need. Thus، selecting an appropriate research methodology is one of the basic decisions and steps to do a research and achieve the aims after finding each problem. Avoiding control in art fields forces art researchers، especially industrial design researchers، to keep away of using specific research methodologies or presenting them in their studies. So، because of weak points of clarifying and using research methodologies، there is a serious lack of studies on them in industrial design. Therefore، this study is going to gather if there can be a definition for the research methodologies in industrial design by referring to prevalent studies in this major. It appears obvious that referring to research methodologies in other sciences is very helpful to redefine the cluster of main methodologies among other ones in industrial design. As a result، the collection of research methodologies in other sciences is going to match with industrial design’s ones on the basis of necessities and aims. In addition، almost all experts believe that some methodologies have more usage and also they are more common than the others in industrial design. These methods can be mentioned on the basis of goals; R&D، applied and evaluation methodologies and on the basis of the way of navigation a study; historical، description، survey، content analysis and case study methodologies. More common current researches are used to give applied examples and to redefine and classify the main point of this study. It is helpful for researches to classify their studies and find their categories among a lot of other studies. So، it can be found that there is not any significant difference between definition in industrial design and other majors، but it is not come true about applied examples. Examples are gathered and extracted from a lot of academic researches about research projects، thesis or written books or papers. It is clear that the purpose of doing a research and its kind is important to choose a suitable research methodology. Some methods like case study are the main between others and it occurs in the most of industrial design studies، especially those ones that are going to design a product. On the other hand، in many other cases، evaluation methods appear because evaluating and comparing the design final proposals and ideas are the essential part of every design project. Despite these attributes and due to widespread field of each project in industrial design، it is the most important feature that research must be a combination of different research methodologies. As a result، confirmation the research methodology in every industrial design research or project can lead researches in a correct way to continue and accomplish research projects. Also، research methodology in industrial design does not have any significant difference with other methodologies، but it has its own examples and patterns.

Cognizing environment in human vision-system is complex process. Part of this process is perceiving image elements and attention signals in general. In the other hand، extracting special description from image elements. It is assumed that the environment scene is a kind of Image. According to this description، it is justifiable to interpret image according to the Gestalt theory principles. The human vision system could distinguish a few number of data from each other’s. Even، some components having spectacular similarity. In Gestalt principles the rule of color and orientation are defined as important as others highlight factor in emphasizing images. To evaluate and test this quotation and psychological experiment is designed to find the correlation of orientation، attention zone and area in an image. The tests are prepared in two parts. In first section، evaluating the ratio of understanding images، establish on consequent of color-limitation and gravity of image layer. In the second part، measuring and recording the characteristics of pattern and attention zone in images. Fifty fine arts university students، aged between 20 to 31 years، participated voluntary as subjects in this study. The result of this part is especially useful in communication and product design. It is possible in which images have spun vicinity between partial and global main components of gestalt happens conflict. The result of this quarrel is observing attention to the image. The things attract human attention is called pattern. It would cause to attract attention to some parts of image. Perceiving attractive elements and patterns، in an image has direct correlation to the invisible factors in background of image. The matters are conceal in inter-layer of image are formed from mutation of color. This color is distributed in all the image which create color spot or color area. From the other point of view، correlation of area and attention in the image is an important question in this research. However، area is not a mono-player of observing attention. As already mentioned، in this research the images which analyzed using MATLAB according to the color limitation are defined in two parts. In first part of test، finding the mutual relation of understanding image using oriented Gestalt image. It is kind of template matching test. In Gestalt theory، the rule of experiment is too significant. In second part، finding attention point in image base on color limitation on gravity point of image layer. The results of this section redefine the meaning of pattern and background in image. It should be noted that، the result of this investigation is shown that the human being vision system interested in finding conspicuous factors in image. The art of designer in composing visual element to understand meaning of image using gestalt principles. Result of research could be used in graphical، communication and product design. Some aspect of attracting attention to something would be find in traffic-sing and safety design factors. For future، would continue and develop this experiment to find relation of understanding image and attention in cosmetology and camouflage design.