Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

Enduring Medallions: A Comparative Study of the Visual Structure of Textile Designs with Animal Motifs in the Sasanian and Ilkhanid Eras

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Malieh Salehieyeh Yazdee 1
Melika Yazdani 2
1 Master of Arts in Islamic Art, Faculty of Handicrafts, Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Handicrafts, Faculty of Handicrafts, Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
10.22034/ias.2021.301613.1703
Abstract
The comparative study of textile design during the Sasanian and Ilkhanid periods offers a novel approach to understanding their technical and visual characteristics. This research aims to identify the features of textile designs with animal motifs from the Sasanian era and their potential continuation in the Ilkhanid period, allowing for a distinction between the two styles. Nineteen textiles were analyzed using an analytical-comparative method. The findings reveal that animal motifs in Sasanian textiles include birds, quadrupeds, composite creatures, and mythological beings, with formal continuity observed in Ilkhanid textiles. While Sasanian motifs reflect ancient Iranian beliefs, Ilkhanid designs emphasize form, incorporating inscriptions and intricate background patterns that align textiles with societal narratives. Additionally, advancements in design units, medallion forms, realism in animal representation, and reduced color diversity characterize Ilkhanid textiles. Another finding highlights the use of diverse network patterns in both periods' textile designs; however, technical measures became more complex in the Ilkhanid era, featuring higher variability in form, dynamic motif representation, and greater detail in animal depiction compared to the Sasanian period.
Research Objectives

To analyze the visual structure of animal motifs in Sasanian and Ilkhanid textiles.
To explore the continuity of animal motifs from Sasanian to Ilkhanid textiles.

Research Questions

What are the visual characteristics of animal motifs in Sasanian and Ilkhanid textiles?
What are the similarities and differences in the continuity of animal motifs between these two periods?
Keywords
Sasanian textiles
Ilkhanid textiles
animal motifs
rapport
medallion
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