Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

The Influence of Structural Elements of Persian Miniature Painting on World Cinema

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Morteza Farhadnia 1
Hasan Bolkhari 2
1 PhD in Art Research, Department of Art, Tehran University Campus, Kish, Iran
2 Faculty of Visual Arts, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/ias.2024.433258.2332
Abstract
This study examines and analyzes the visual structure of several Persian miniature paintings that depict spaces resembling certain techniques in world cinema. Artistic techniques and cinematic styles are interconnected subjects, and this research explores how Persian miniature techniques—such as simultaneity, image-making over realism, the absence of emotional reflection in faces, and the subject’s direct gaze at the viewer—have been employed in cinema. The study aims to provide a deeper understanding of these techniques for filmmakers, artists, and those interested in artistic creativity. Using a qualitative and quantitative analytical approach, the research synthesizes three intertwined processes: description (what), evaluation (how), and analysis (why). Through this inductive method and scientific approach, a comprehensive picture of the techniques shared between Persian miniatures and cinema emerges.
Research Objectives:

Examine select structural elements of Persian miniature painting and the interpretive principles governing them in works by prominent Persian miniaturists.
Analyze the qualitative and quantitative details derived from the three intertwined processes of description, evaluation, and analysis.

Research Questions:

What are the structural elements of Persian miniature painting and the interpretive principles governing them?
How do the qualitative and quantitative details derived from the three processes of description, evaluation, and analysis manifest?
Keywords
Persian miniature painting
world cinema
the gaze
simultaneity
absence of emotional reflection

Subjects

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Islamic Art Studies
Volume 22, Issue 58
Spring 2025
Pages 101-118