Journal of Art and Civilization of the Orient

New Findings and Cultural Analysis of Mirror Work in Iranian Historical Buildings from the 10th Century AH to the Contemporary Era

https://doi.org/10.22034/jaco.2025.500206.1444
Volume 13, Issue 49
Autumn 2025
Pages 54-63
Journal of Art and Civilization of the Orient

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Alireza Sheykhi

Handicrafts Department, Faculty of Applied Arts, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
Mirrors held a special place both in ancient Iran and during the Islamic period, as evidenced by their presence in Persian literature. Polished metals were used as looking glasses before the Safavid era, during which big planar mirrors (In Persian “Aina Jam”) were first used as wall decorations. The creativity of Iranian artists in using broken mirrors, aina jam, and convex mirrors led them toward mirror work. This study aims to identify mirror work methods from the Safavid era up to the present day. It also sought to explore the development of mirror work and present a cultural analysis of the studied works. This research question is What are the methods of mirror work from the Safavid period to the contemporary era, and how can their cultural significance be interpreted? In this basic descriptive-analytical study, the statistical population included mirror work in historical buildings in Isfahan, Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad. In total, 47 historical buildings were selected using convenience sampling. The findings revealed seventeen mirror work methods developed in different eras: four methods from the Safavid period, ten methods from the Qajar and Pahlavi periods, and three contemporary methods. Furthermore, the mirror work methods in each historical period represented the dominant intellectual context of the epoch, and the sensory, emotional, physical, and aesthetic dimensions of mirror work in the studied periods are perceptible. The art of mirror work reached its apogee in Iran during the Qajar period and has undergone transformations in the contemporary era.

Keywords

Mirror Work
Architectural Ornamentation
Historical Buildings
Safavid
Qajar
and Pahlavi
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