Iconographic study of good and evil in the picture entitled “ The Armies of Iran and Turan collide in Hamavan mountain” from Tahmasbi Shahnameh

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PH.D student of Art Research, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Khorasgan branch, Islamic Azad University, , Isfahan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor of Arts Research Institute, Iranian Academy of Arts, Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Art and Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University , Tehran, Iran

4 Assistant Professor of Art and Architecture, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

10.22034/scart.2025.139609.1352

Abstract

Fighting scenes are important for Iranian miniature that have often manifested in illustrated Shahnameh. One of turbulent fighting scenes, is a page of Tahmasebi Shahname with Abdolaziz painting under the topic “The Armies of Iran and Turan collide in Hamavan Mountain” from Safavid era.   Since all Shahnameh ancient events are affected by confrontation of truthfulness and untruth, researcher is trying to debate and analyze the said miniature about good and evil forces through iconography. The main question is what is the story in this picture and how good and evil forces are read and received meaning beyond main roles of this miniature by iconography method. The method of this research is analytic descriptive with iconography approach and the resources are from library. From this research and based on literary and visual evidence such results are obtained: the poems of the context of this miniature is related to the Iranians and Turanians battle in mountain range of kaserood and before Hamavan battle. Also based on litrary evidence, the narration of this picture shows a battle that happened before Hamavan battle. Also the main roles used in this picture represents the concepts of confrontation of good and evil. Tthese concepts are presented through symbolic main roles like Iranian red and green flags, Heidary hats of Safavid soldiers. Actually these soldiers are  connected with  Iranian  ancient warriors for defending land of Iran against demonic forces.

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