Visual features of the Shahnameh of Olfat from the Qajar era, belonging to the Central Library of the University of Isfahan

In the history of Iranian painting, Shahnameh painting has always been of interest to artists and patronized by the courts. After the prosperous era of Safavid book illustration and the transition from the Afshar and Zand eras, the Qajar school is one of the most important schools of Iranian painting that was formed at an important historical moment, namely at the same time as the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The Qajar era began with the coronation of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar in 1174 AH (1210 AH/1795 AD) and ended in 1304 AH (1344 AH/1925 AD) after the rule of seven rulers with the dethronement of Ahmad Shah. In contrast to the trend of artistic restrictions in most Islamic countries, painting was growing and developing during the Qajar era. This break with Islamic traditions and the influence of European landscape painting showed Iran to be a strong and distinctive visual culture at the time. Art fluctuated greatly during the Qajar era, but the period of Fath Ali Shah is perhaps the golden age of Iranian artists. Hundreds of Persian manuscripts were written and illustrated during this period. The Shahnameh, by Abul Qasim Ferdowsi, is one of the greatest literary and historical works of Persian literature (which has been the subject of much attention and research by artists and art scholars throughout history). One such example illustrated during the Qajar era. During the Qajar era, and under the patronage of Fath Ali Shah and Mohammad Shah, book illustration, and especially Shahnameh painting, was revived and flourished. Shahnameh painting is the depiction of the stories, characters, and important events of the Shahnameh using painting, illumination, geometric and scroll designs, gold paint, engraving, and other decorative techniques. The result of this art is the preservation and transmission of the stories and concepts of the Shahnameh to future generations. A copy of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, written and illustrated in the 13th century AH, is now registered and preserved in the Manuscript Museum of the University of Isfahan Library under the number 12453. This work was probably written in the last year of the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar and the beginning of the reign of Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar. The purpose of this research is to introduce a newly discovered copy of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh and the illustrations in the mentioned copy; and the study and evaluation of this copy is necessary in understanding the painting and book layout of the Qajar period. This copy includes 2 notebooks and 613 pages in Nastaliq style and 16 Majles in watercolor style, which have not been introduced so far; this Shahnameh was in the possession of Mohammad Baqir bin Mohammad Taqi Aqanajafi Isfahani, pseudonym Ulfat, and hence the copy under study is named as Shahnameh Ulfat in this library. The scribe of the manuscript is Musa al-Musawi, and the writing is done in the traditional four-column style. This research, which was conducted with direct access to the manuscript and benefiting from written documents and data, seeks to fully introduce and analyze its visual characteristics. Thus, in this research, the following questions are raised: 1- What are the identifying components of the Shahnameh al-Ulfat manuscript? and 2- What are the visual features and distinctive formal aspects in the illustrations of Shahnameh al-Ulfat?
The present article was conducted using the descriptive-analytical research method to introduce the newly discovered illustrated manuscript, identify and analyze its distinctive formal aspects and identifying elements. The method of finding is library and field research.
In expressing the epic theme, simple interpretations of color and design, figures and even Stippling are used and are less faithful to the text of the Shahnameh. The prominent features of this manuscript are the abundance of orange and blue colors, the breadth of the image surfaces, and high horizons.
The results indicate that its decorations include: calligraphic text and paintings. The text paper is in ochre and the illustrated pages are illustrated with watercolor technique. The illustrations have a crude, hand-drawn quality without attention to detail. Although the painter is unknown, the handwriting and finishing of some elements suggest that the illustrations are likely the work of a painter.
The compositions are divided into three distinct levels: foreground, middle ground, and background. The backgrounds are usually blue skies with white and gold clouds, while the main narrative unfolds in the middle of the earth. The landscapes, architecture, and decorative elements are simplified, and a limited color palette dominated by of blue and orange is used.