Volume 18, Issue 42 (9-2022)
goljaam 2022, 18(42): 63-80 |
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Arab Borbor M. Analyzing Shared Concepts of Color and Motif in the Ornamentation of Sheikh Lotfollah Dome and Sheikh Safi Carpet. goljaam 2022; 18 (42) : 4
URL: http://goljaam.icsa.ir/article-1-927-en.html
URL: http://goljaam.icsa.ir/article-1-927-en.html
Msc, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran
Abstract: (9 Views)
The Safavid period stands as one of the most significant eras in Iranian art and industry, particularly in carpet weaving, where geometric forms flourished and achieved logical perfection. Concurrently, architectural art reached its zenith in external ornamentation. Given the shared symbolic dimension of these arts, this study examines the common concepts of color and motif in the decorations of two Safavid masterpieces: the dome of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Isfahan and the Sheikh Safi carpet of Ardabil. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and digital rendering of motifs in Rhinoceros and Photoshop software, decorative patterns from each work were extracted and classified. In order to achieve the research goal, two main questions are raised: 1- What are the motifs and colors used in these two works? and 2- What common concepts are there between them? Findings reveal that the core concept of unity in multiplicity manifests through spiral motifs in both works: converging toward the dome’s apex and guiding the viewer’s gaze to the carpet’s central medallion (tarang). The identification of symbolic colors—crimson (symbolizing life and Shiism) and gold (representing divine light)—in the dome’s borders and the carpet’s field demonstrates their intentional use to convey shared ideological meanings. Floral motifs such as the Shah Abbasi flower (emblem of eternity) and dragon-mouthed arabesques (eslimi) (denoting protection), though formally distinct, align in reflecting mystical concepts. This research confirms that Safavid artists utilized a unified visual language to express cosmological principles.
Article number: 4
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2024/10/9 | Accepted: 2026/02/2 | Published: 2026/08/15
Received: 2024/10/9 | Accepted: 2026/02/2 | Published: 2026/08/15
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