The Concept of the Symbol in Islamic Art Based on Cultural Semiotic Theory of Umberto Eco (Case Study: Iranian-Islamic Talismans)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Art, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Ph.D., Textile and Clothing Design Department, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran.

3 Ph.D., Department of Art Research, Faculty of Art, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/ias.2021.270298.1526

Abstract

Islamic art has a wide treasure of deep mystical meanings and divine wisdom, because this art is rooted in spiritual and divine foundations. The motifs in the works of Islamic art are the gateway to cognition knowledge and actual soul which strengthens the viewpoint of monotheism as the main pillar of Islam. The importance of using motifs in the aesthetics of Islamic works lies in deep and profound meanings which expresses the spirit of the works of art. Study of the great treasure of Islamic art in the context of philosophical approaches and contemplation on the inner aspect of this art and its symbolic language, which contained metaphysical and mystical foundations, has undeniable importance. In this article, by using the library research method and a descriptive-analytical approach an attempt has been made to study the symbolic meaning and allegorical language of this art. Since the scope of Islamic art and its productions is extremely wide, in the forthcoming research, the products of occult sciences and in particular Iranian-Islamic talismans which are very rich in visual value and semantic dimension have been studied. Furthermore, to have a clear theoretical framework for analyzing the subject ahead, the findings of this study will be analyzed based on the theory of cultural semiotics of the famous Italian semiotician Umberto Eco. The research findings indicate the adaptation of Umberto Eco's semiotics about cultural roots to the semantic and symbolic system in Islamic spells.

Research aims:
1- Presenting an analytical study of the concept of symbol in the context of various uses of occult science products.
2- Introducing effective cultural roots in the formation process of meaning and symbol based on Eco’s semiotic ideas.

Research questions:
1- What are the cultural factors influencing the formation process of signs and symbols in Islamic art that are perceived from the productions of occult sciences?
2- 2. How can the expression of "mystery" in Iranian-Islamic works of art be studied and analyzed with the eco-cultural semiotics approach?

Keywords

References

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Islamic Art Studies
Volume 18, Issue 43 - Serial Number 43
February 2021
Pages 141-154

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