Analysis of the Shiite Discourse in Several Images of Imam Ali from the Ilkhanid to the Safavid Eras

Imam Ali is one of the most frequent imagery themes reflected in the Iranian paintings. However, Imam Ali’s icon is not represented identical in the images belonging to different eras. Since Imam Ali is known with many desirable characteristics and traits, there are various traditions about his life and character especially in Islam and Shia sect (Twelver Shiism). The purpose of this paper was to study the iconography of Imam Ali in the Iranian paintings based on the traditions. For this purpose, some of the indicator paintings including the icon of Imam were described and analyzed from the form, content and manner of expression aspects, from the Ilkhanid to the Safavid periods. The results indicated that Imam Ali’s icon in the paintings of the Ilkhanid, the Timurid and the Turkmen eras were based on the historical, heroic and mythical traditions, while in the Safavid era, dominated by the Shiite jurisprudence, his icon was represented based on the Shiite traditions.