A Reflection on the Relationship between Master and Disciple in Art Education with an Emphasis on Traditional System

Mentoring system has long been used as the dominant method of education in different sectors. This system, in the field of art, is mixed with some components and features which are intertwined by morality and spirituality; and apart from transferring technologies and techniques, it has caused excellence in both spirit and mind. The relationship between the master and his disciple was one of the most important factors in the traditional system of art education. This paper tends to extract and discover the most prominent elements of the relationship between the master and the disciple. These characteristics and features being faded in the contemporary art, have ultimately led to the loss of transcendental nature of art. Moreover, looking for this relationship in the present system of art education can highlight the shortcomings and problems of the contemporary situation of art education because without any doubt, one of the most important reasons for the success of arts in the traditional realm was this deep relationship and all the texts and references confirm this claim. The main questions are as follows: What elements was the relationship between the master and the disciple based on? How are these elements working in the contemporary system? The methodology contains a descriptive yet analytic approach which is done by referring to books and texts. The final results showed the details of the relationship between the master and the disciple such as mutual rights, ethics, respect, obedience, commitment, purification, love, the master’s high position, and observing the hierarchy. Also, the presence of these factors in the contemporary system was studied and the findings showed that these factors are not consistent now. This can emphasize on the importance of reviewing the previous values.