The Analysis of the Celebrities Carpet Safeguarded in the Niavaran Palace; Em phasizing on The Position of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Prophet Jesus (pbub) Based on Janet Wolff”s Opinions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Sistan and Bluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

2 Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kurdistan, Lecturer

3 PhD student of Islamic art, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The wide reproduction of carpets called Mashaheer (celebrities) with images of explorers,
prophets, and kings in the Qajar period is considered an important part of Iranian art history.
In each reproduction of these carpets, there have been changes in the figures of the first
row compared to the initial carpet. Based on the carpet preserved in the Niavaran Palace as
the case study of the changes, besides the addition of Iranian kings around the main area,
changes include the addition of the image of Jesus (pbuh) and the removal of the image of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the first row. Therefore, this research tries to answer why
this image of the Prophet (pbuh) was replaced by Jesus (pbuh) on the mentioned celebrity
carpet. According to the purpose of the research, which is to explain this replacement, the
gathered data was analyzed using a descriptive-analytical method, with emphasis on the
opinions of Janet Wolff. After collecting the data through field and documentary studies.
The findings of the research show that the celebrity carpet in Niavaran has implicitly
strengthened the idea of Christianity’s superiority by replacing the image of the Prophet
(pbuh) with the image of Christ (pbuh), within the discourses of archaism, Iranian identity
and the intellectual currents of the Qajar era, and despite the presence and continuation of
Islamic figures. This itself can indicate that the influence of institutions on art production
in any era changes and interferes with the visual form on the axis of the desired ideology
and emphasizes the hidden and deeper layers of meaning.To explain the role Muhammad and Muse in famous carpets
Research method: In order to reach the appropriate answer, the research data, which has been collected by the field and documentary method, has been analyzed in a descriptive and analytical way, emphasizing Wolff's opinions.
Based on Wolff's point of view, it was concluded that the famous carpet of Niavaran Palace is one of the important productions of the Qajar period, which was created within the discourses of antiquarianism and intellectual currents, which is reflected in the diminution of Islam by removing the Prophet. and by substituting the image of Jesus it implicitly points to the superiority of Christianity. In this work, despite the presence of other figures related to Islam such as Omar, there is a kind of anti-Islamic ideology by removing the prophet of the Islamic world.

Keywords

References

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HOW
Journal of Art and Civilization of the Orient
Volume 10, Issue 37
October 2022
Pages 51-60

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