Analysing Coronation Theme (Receiving Diadem) on the Pediments of Qajar Houses of Shiraz (Case Study: Hasani Ardakani House)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Handicrafts, Faculty of Art and Architecture, ,University of Sistan and bluchestan. Zahedan. Iran, Corresponding Author

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Sistan and bluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.

10.22051/pgr.2024.45926.1230

Abstract

 
 
 
The artistic achievement of the Qajar period is observable most of all in the colourful tile paintings of this period. The desire of the Qajar kings for luxury and displaying it with the glitter of colour and light on the tile background is supposedly a reason for the prosperity of the art of tiling in the Qajar period. The use of pictorial tiles in this period also flourished in the houses of nobles besides decorating palaces, assembly halls for ceremonies, and pavilions with tiles. One of its reasons is the expansion of the art of painting on tiles during the reign of Nasir al-Din Shah and its widespread popularity among the public. Shiraz besides Tehran was also one of the centres of production and use of various types of tiles in this period, whose effects have remained in the historical texture of this city. The diversity of these images reflects people's attitude towards various historical, cultural, and religious narratives, and reveals the changes in the depiction of tiles and their perception of meaning. The authors’ search in a number of these places, i.e., the houses of Atrvash, Hasani Ardakani, Saadat, Yazdian, Ziaian, Manteghinejad, Dokhanchi, Khalili, Qalamfarsa, Tavakoli and Salehi, shows a wide range of visual themes of this collection. Some of the mentioned houses have decorated tiles on the pediments. A common theme has been used in the pediments of some of these houses, among which are Saadat, Hasani Ardakani, Atrvash, and Yazdian houses. Coronation representation is the common theme of these houses, which reveals changes in the representation in comparison with Ardeshir's historical coronation painting of Ahura Mazda.
Diadem is one of the most familiar subjects in the ancient bas-reliefs of Iran. The coronation scenes of Sassanid kings are among these: Ardashir I, Shapur I, Bahram I, Ardashir II, and Khosrow II. It seems that the prevailing political situation at the time of each of the Sassanid kings was an influencing factor in the production of such works, and the political institution mixed with religion to instil its superiority, maintain its centrality, and prevent chaos. Theocracy was among the warlike religious principles that have been associated with princes for a long time and were supposedly among the necessities of the royal position. This coronation motif inspired by the Sassanid period becomes also popular in the Qajar period, and the coronation of Ardashir I is more similar to the sample under study in this research in the structure and formal elements. Changes occur in the reproduction of this coronation scheme in the houses of the Qajar period. The manifestations of this transformation are more obvious in the pediment of the Hasani Ardakani house, like the removal or change of some visual components and elements.
As for the position of pediment in the houses, which is the most important part of the facade of the house, the prevalence of such a motif and its changes can be an expression of the era’s prevailing thought. This research explains the coronation representation in the houses’ pediments and the effect of popular discourse and ideology in the Qajar period on the motif of pediment. Therefore, the present research answers the following questions: Why is the motif of the coronation of Ardashir I on the pediments of many houses and what effect did the changes in the image of the Hasani Ardakani house have on the perception of meaning? The work has been seen as a social production to reach an appropriate answer and get the hidden ideology in the mentioned tiling. Thus, we pay attention to the pictorial features of the painting, explain the hidden layers of the text structure, form, and colour, and then reveal the conventional meanings of the work’s dominant discourse and ideology. The pictorial tiles of Shiraz houses have attracted the attention of many researchers, but little research has been done on the coronation theme in the houses despite its importance in Iranian history. It seems that the way and reasons for the representation of such themes need independent research that can help to understand the ruling thought of the Qajar period, so our research can meet this need.
The research was descriptive-analytical, and its data was collected by searching library and field sources. Visiting the historical texture of Shiraz and photographing the samples under study is another part of this study. Its statistical population consists of 4 Qajar houses in Shiraz, namely: Saadat, Hasani Ardakani, Atrvash, and Yazdian houses. The Hasani Ardakani house has been purposefully selected as a sample. The data is analysed qualitatively, taking into account the narrative and visual content of the work.
The findings show that the extent of this motif in the houses of Shiraz is readable in the two discourses of archaism and despotism. The most important action in the Hasani Ardakani house tile painting is the coronation theme as an ideological action, as some interpretations propose. The motif of the pediment is important in the sense that it is worked on the forehead and in the highest position of the noble house. Because the motif is repeated in some other noble houses of Shiraz, such a theme is related to the ruling thoughts of the society, as a product through which the ideology of the ruling class is transmitted to the society. According to the investigations on the manner of make-up and clothing, the issue of the succession of the Qajar body instead of the ancient king can be considered as a ritual display of giving Khvarenah and as Petitio Principii of a historical narrative. We see in this picture the succession of the Achaemenid king or in general a king from ancient Iran and a Qajar king; both kings have rings in their hands and neither of them are the givers of Khvarenah or power. Rather, the rings have helped establish communication between the two kings. Diadem has also lost his previous mythological role and position and has only connected two rings like a turban. The formal changes of the diadem from two hanging bands that represent good and bad power to four hanging bands on each side show that the mythological thought hidden in the motif of the diadem and the ring has lost, in the Qajar period, its connection with the ancient roots. So, we can see, according to these two discourses, the hidden ideology in the discussed tile paintings as a display of power and an effort to instil legitimacy in the audience. The creation of a trans-temporal relation between the Qajar kings with the ancient Iranian past and the ancient kings who considered the position of kingship as a holy gift and appealed to sacred concepts and personalities to instil their legitimacy can be a reason for the production of the coronation theme in the Qajar era. However, the changes in the process of this representation have made changes in the meaning and narrative and have added different meanings to it according to the time of the creation of the work. Establishing a connection between the Qajar king and Izad or the ancient king, changing the form of the diadem, and using two rings of power manifest this transformation, which led to the suspension of the ancient meaning and concepts and revealed a turn in this process; turning from a religious position to the arena of myth and history. The display of such images in the highest part of the house can be associated with the importance of such depictions. The audience is confronted, in the tile painting of the Hasani Ardakani house, with a kind of succession between the Qajar king and the ancient Iranian king. Placing the king of ancient Iran on the same level as the king of Qajar can emphasize origin and lineage, identify the Qajar dynasty, and attribute them to the kings of ancient Iran. This motif is repeated in most of the houses of this period because the central signifier of this image is Iranian identity, which is given to the Qajar king through the king of ancient Iran.
 

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References

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    URL1: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coin_of_Naser_al-in_Shah_Qajar,_minted_in_Tehran.jpg (31 October 2023)

    URL2: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/18061/lot/272/iran-a-cabinet-portrait-of-naser-al-din-shah-qajar-of-persia-by-l-and-v-angerer-of-vienna-a-carte-de-visite-portrait-of-the-same-by-w-and-d-downey, (31 October 2023)

    URL3: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Naser-al-Din-Shah, (31 October 2023)

    URL4: https://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/persia/(27October 2023)

    URL5: https://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/persia/explore.html(30October 2023)

    URL6:https://www.rct.uk/sites/default/files/collection-online/b/a/562808-1446140227.jpg,(31October 2023).

     

     

     

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