The Illustration of the Prophet and the Shiite Imams in the Habib al-Siar Manuscript with the Emphasis on Bahar-al-Anvar

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Faculty of Islamic Theology and Education, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Research Institute of Islamic Sciences and Culture, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

The depiction of the image of the Prophet and the Imams (pbuh) and their excellence in iconography is one of the themes of the pictorial decoration of religious narratives that has always been of interest to artists. The manuscript of Habib al-Siar, a historical book written by a Shiite historian, contains images of historical events of the Shiite legitimacy. These paintings contain Shiite themes, maps and symbols, as well as iconography of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Imams of the Infallibles (AS), and depict Shiite historical events based on Shiite narrations. Among these, the religious and Islamic book of Bahar-al-Anvar is one of the most important comprehensive books of Shiite hadith and events that includes a collection of Shiite instructions and teachings; Therefore, this study attempts to depict the clear aspects of their inner appearance by examining the image of the Prophet and the Imams in the manuscript of Habib al-Sir in connection with the narrations mentioned in Bahar-al-Anvar; moreover, the images are analyzed and scrutinized by the use of Shiite concepts and symbol. The research method carried out in this research is descriptive-analytical and the method of data collection is accomplished via library resources. Research shows that until the Safavid period, religious figures depicted the faces of prophets and saints due to a lack of opposition, but later, due to the disagreement from religious scholars, faces were covered and artists tried to show an extraordinary appearance by using religious symbols. Also, by applying the narrations of the Shiite events of Bahar-al-Anvar in the illustrations and iconography of Habib al-Siar’s paintings, it is possible to obtain a visual and symbolic image of the artist from the Shiite events.
Research objectives
1. To study the image and iconography of the Prophet and the Shiite Imams in the manuscript of Habib-al-Siar
2. To analyze the application of Shiite concepts and symbols related to the themes of Bahar-al-Anvar in the drawings.
Research questions
1. What are the general themes of Habib al-Siar's paintings?
2. How can the principles governing the visual narration of the Prophet and the Shiite Imams (pbuh) in the painting of Habib al-Siar be scrutinized by examining the the Bahar-al-Anvar?

Keywords

References

Afshari Faraki, M. (2010). A Study of the Trend of Symbolism of Icons in Islamic Painting. Bi-Quarterly Journal of Islamic Art Studies, 13, Tehran: Institute of Islamic Art Studies.
Afshari Faraki, M., & Ayatollah, H., & Rajabi, M. A. (2006). "Study of the Symbolism Trend of Icons in Islamic Painting from a Semiotic Perspective". Journal of Islamic Art Studies, 13, 37-54.
Afshari, M., & Ayatollah, H., & Rajabi, M. A. (2010). "Study of the trend of symbolism of icons in Islamic painting from the perspective of semiotics". Islamic Art Studies, No. 13, 37-54.
Ahmadi, B. (1991). Text Structure and Interpretatio., Volume One, Tehran: Markaz Publishing.
Akbari, F. (2009). "Introducing the Sea of ​​Lights". Teachers Magazine, No. 27, pp. 212-224.
Ambrose Story, Ch. (1983). Persian Literature Based on Story Writing. Translated by Yova Bergel (into Russian), Translators: Yahya Arinepour, Sirus Izadi and Karim Keshavarz, Tehran: Ahmad Manzavi Press.
Bahar, M. (1977). Stylistics (History of the Evolution of Persian Prose). Tehran: Amirkabir Publications.
‌Cooper, GC. (2000). Illustrated Culture of Traditional Symbols. translated by Maliheh Karbasian, Tehran: University of Arts.
Hamilton, M. (1998). Sociology of Religion, translated by Mohsen Thalasi, Tehran: Tebyan.
Hosseini Rad, A. (2006). Masterpieces of Iranian Painting (with Frame). Translators: Karbasi, Claude. Piety, Marie. Parishanzadeh, Payam, Tehran: Museum of Contemporary Art.
Khwandmir, Gh. (1875). Habiba al-Sir in the news of mankind. by Mirza Ali Mohammad Khan, Bombay.
Kubler, G. (1962). The shape of time. New haven.
Latifian, N., & Shayestehfar, M. (2002). "Study of characteristics and comparative study of Iranian paintings in the Timurid and Safavid eras (two Shahnamehs of Baysanghari - Shah Tahmasebi)". Teacher of Art, 2, 55-66.
Majidi Khameneh, F. (2009). "Sports in Iranian Paintings". Book of the Month of Art, 42-52.
Majlisi, M. (1984). Bihar Al-Anwar. Beirut: Al-Wafa Institute.
Masterpieces of Iranian Painting (2005). Tehran: Museum of Contemporary Art.
Mohammadi, M., & Kipenberg, H. (1994). "Iconography and Religion". Farhang Magazine, 16, 139-137.
Rajabi, F. (2011). "Research in Shiite Manuscripts of Habib Al-Seer". Binab Magazine, 17, 18-23.
Saeedizadeh, M., & Alidoost, A. (2016). "The effect of jurisprudence on the formation of folders in the image of the Prophet (PBUH) and Imams (AS) in Safavid Iran (908-1035 AH)". Theology of Art, 4, 145-176.
Saeedizadeh, M., & Mousavi Gilani, S. (2014). "Study of the context and causes of reluctance of Muslim painters to iconography of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) before the patriarchal period". Nagreh, 31, 36-46.
Sedaghat, F., & Khorshidi, Z. (2009). "A Study of Religious Themes in the Manuscripts of the Society of Histories". Islamic Art Studies, 10, 77-98.
Sedaghat, M. (2007). "The first prophets in the paintings of the stories of the prophets Abu Ishaq Neyshabouri". Islamic Art Studies, 7, 23-46.
Shafiee Kadkani, M. (1980). Imaginations in Persian Poetry. Tehran: Agah.
Shaqlanipour, Z., & Ghazizadeh, Kh., & Hasili, P. (2019). "Study of the effect of Shiite texts on iconography of Imam Ali (AS) in Tahmasebi's drawings". Islamic Art Studies, Fourteenth Year, 32, 97- 131.
Shayestehfar, M., & Abdolkarimi, Sh. (2016). "Visual Elements of the Events of the Life of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) in the Drawings of the Society of Historians". Islamic Art Studies, Twelfth Year, 25, 37-52.
Shayestehfar, M., & Kian, K., & Shayestehfar, Z. (2011). "Thematic study of iconography of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) in the painting of the patriarchal period and Jesus Christ in the religious painting of late Byzantium". Islamic Art Studies, 14, 41-60.
Skilled gardener, S., & Amani, F. (2013). "Pictures of the Ascension of the Prophet (PBUH), Journal of Information, Wisdom and Knowledge". 4, 18-23.
Tabarsi, F. (1994). Majma 'al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran. Tehran: Nasser Khosrow.
Tabatabai, S. (1996). Al-Mizan Fi Tafsir Al-Quran. Volume 13, Qom: Islamic Publications Office.
The Holy Quran. (2010). translated by Seyyed Mohammad Reza Safavi. Qom: Ma'aref Publishing House.
Zolfi, S.; & Delbari, Sh. (2020). "Shiite Manifestations in Qazvin with Emphasis on Illustrated Historical Sources". Islamic Art Studies, Fifteenth Year, 35, 319-346.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics