Faculty Member of Textile and Clothing Design Department, Faculty of Applied Arts, Iran University of Art, Tehran , a.mafitabar@art.ac.ir
Abstract: (11 Views)
Rasht embroidery is one of the Iranian needlework techniques, created by stitching silk threads onto colorful broadcloth, most commonly in shades of red, to animate human, animal, and plant forms. The final products of this art appear in the form of curtains, prayer rugs, flags, tablecloths, manta, garment components, shoes, and other forms in which this art takes shape. Among these, several Rasht embroidery curtains from the Qajar era are notable for their rare narrative or storytelling motifs. The present article investigated the content of these uncommon curtains, guided by the following question: What themes were embedded in Qajar-era Rasht embroidery curtains that depict narrative scenes? This qualitative study, situated within a historical framework, employed a descriptive – analytical and comparative approach using documentary research methods to address the research objective. Nineteen cases were selected purposively: nine curtains depicted religious themes derived from the Qur’an; six represented historical and mythical kings and heroes, illustrating feasting and combat scenes; three were influenced by the romantic literature of the Khamsa of Nizami and the Haft Awrang; and one curtain presented a hybrid scene combining Shahnameh heroics and Haft Awrang romances. The findings revealed that stories from the lives of prophets—such as Joseph, Moses, Jesus, and Solomon—were especially popular subjects in Rasht embroidery, represented across twenty-nine distinct scenes. Among the religious themes, the most frequently illustrated episodes were the debate between Mary and Zechariah in the presence of the infant Jesus, and the re:union: of Jacob and Joseph in old age. Although these themes were drawn directly from the explicit text of the Qur’an, due to the vernacular nature of these art forms, the limited literacy of the artists, and the influence of popular beliefs, some alterations occurred in their narrative representation. Regarding historical themes, scenes such as the feasting and combat of Shah Abbas and the battle between Nader Shah and the Afghans were among the favored subjects. These appeared alongside mythological tales and Rostam’s battles, attributing to Nader Shah a divine stature comparable to that of Rostam. As for epic–mythological content, representations of Rostam in battle with Sohrab, with Esfandiar, or in the Seventh Labor were evident. Notably, the most frequent motif in this category was the Seventh Labor—his combat with the White Demon. Lastly, the romantic and lyrical themes were drawn from classical literature, occupying a more modest presence, each appearing twice. These include the tales of Khosro and Shirin and Bahram and Golandam from the Khamsa of Nizami, as well as Layla and Majnun from Haft Awrang of Jami. Overall, it may be claimed that the dominant themes across Rasht embroidery curtains included religious motifs—key moments from the lives of prophets based on Qur’anic narratives; royal, martial, and epic motifs—drawn from historical kings and the mythic figures of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh; romantic and lyrical motifs—from the Khamsa of Nizami and Haft Awrang of Jami; and hybrid epic–romantic motifs combining elements of Shahnameh and Haft Awrang. The diversity of narratives across these curtains affirmed their use in performative traditions such as naqqāli.
Article number: 10
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
هنرهاي تجسمي
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