Study on the Origin, Form, and Contents in the Figural Inscriptions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MA in Art Research, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Semnan University

2 Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Semnan University

3 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Semnan University, Semnan,

10.22070/negareh.2021.14716.2808

Abstract

Although Islamic artists were reluctant to represent living creatures in many decorative motifs, especially in the Islamic Medieval Ages, the script formed with human faces, animals, and mythical creatures remains a significant subject in the study of Islamic art and architecture. These scripts are mostly used in metalwork, but there are many examples in pottery decorations, especially in the early Islamic centuries and in Nishapur. So far, no research has been done on figural inscriptions, but researchers have addressed this field when working on other subjects such as talking tree, waq waq motifs, and some special objects. To our knowledge, Richard Ettinghausen’s classification and typologies of the figural inscriptions in the study of a container from the Cleveland Museum, known as the Wade Cup, are the strongest research in this field. The main issue in this article is the study of these inscriptions, regardless of whether they are considered as a kind of recreational scripts or a subset of waq motifs, and by looking at the formation, and thematic and temporal characteristics of the inscriptions one becomes more familiar with possible thoughts of patrons and artists. This study aims to accurately name this type of inscriptions based on the analysis of samples and their origin, themes, and various forms, which in turn helps to find out the reasons for using this type of script. Questions: What is the formal classification of figural inscriptions in non-architectural works at the time of study? What is the figural inscriptions’ meaning in art media such as pottery and metal, and is there a connection between the shape and the idea behind it? A descriptive-analytical approach has been used in this study. All the information was collected from library documents. The statistical population includes pottery and metal objects with figural inscriptions, from the early centuries to the seventh century AH in the Islamic world and the early European samples. Sample selection was done according to the 5 classifications presented in this article and also the introduction of new samples to help reach the research goals. Research results showed that figural inscriptions can be divided into five categories: 1- ornithomorphic, 2- human head, 3- zoomorphic, 4- a hybrid, and 5- animated inscriptions. Ornithomorphic and one of the zoomorphic inscriptions are among the early species, while animated inscriptions are evolved examples. In the study of themes, two main themes, including religious concepts and wishes and prayers related to good fortune, along with two sub-themes, including the signature and name of the artist and special poems were identified. As an interesting point, a correlation between the theme and the form was observed in several figural inscriptions, so that in the wishes and prayers related to inscriptions with the theme of astrology, the constellations with the concept of auspiciousness and astrology in the motifs were observed. Also, in the ornithomorphic inscriptions in Nishapur, a considerable number of vessels had the name "Ahmad" engraved in the center of the vessel. In our opinion, the name Ahmad was chosen as it is one of the Prophet Mohammad's names, and its combination with the bird-like design should be seen as a kind of correspondence between form and theme and the Prophet's ascension to the heavens. Both of these cases mentioned above, show a correlation between the form and theme and thoughts and ideas of the artists. In the Islamic field, due to the greater quantity, diversity, and the possible precedence of Nishapur specimens over the recently introduced specimens in Susa and Basra, Nishapur can be the origin of the use of such portrait inscriptions in the Islamic world. Based on the coins obtained in the Sabz Pushan area and the Tepe Madrasa, the production of these inscriptions in Nishapur dates back to the second half of the second century AH; to the time of the Samanids and most likely to the pre-Samanids.

Keywords

References

Al-Qazwīnī, Zakarīyā Ibn Muḥammad. 1280.  ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt, The Library of Congress America version.
Amouzegar, Zhale. 1388, Mythological history of Iran, SAMT.
Ataie, M., Mosaviye Haji, S., Koulabadi, R. Slip-painted Pottery (Types, Widespread, Dating). Negareh Journal, 2012; 7(23): 71-88.
Atıl, E., Chase, W. T., & Jett, Paul. 1985. Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art. The Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.
Auld, Sylvia. 1388, out of context: the case of a bowl in the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Visual Language of the Persian Book of King, Editor: Robert Hillen Brand, Translation: Davood Tabaie, Farhangestan-e honar, 196-199 .
Azhand, Y. Vaq,Sixth Principles of Persian Painting. Honar-Ha-Ye-Ziba: Honar-Ha-Ye-Tajassomi, 2009; 1(38): 5-14
Blair, S. 2014. Text and image in medieval persian art. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (Edinburgh studies in Islamic art).
Blair, Sheila. 1394. The monumental inscriptions from early Islamic Iran and Transoxiana, Translation: Mehdi Golchin Arefi, Matn, Tehran.
Carboni, S. 1997. Following the stars : images of the Zodiac in Islamic art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Ettinghausen, Richard. “The ‘Wade Cup’ in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Its Origin and Decorations.” Ars Orientalis, vol. 2, 1957, pp. 327–366. 
Ferdosi Toosi, Hakim Abol-ghasem. 1385. Shahname, Based on the latest revised version of the Shahnameh published by Moscow and Mohl, Julius, Edihors Parvaneh Taheri, Mona Nasser Al-Memar, Shaghayegh, Tehran.
Ghouchani, Abdullah. 1364. Inscriptions on Nishabur pottery, Reza Abassi Museum, Tehran.
Ghouchani, Abdullah, and A. S. Melikian-Chirvani. “Some 12th Century Iranian Wine Ewers and Their Poems.” Bulletin of the Asia Institute, vol. 13, 1999, pp. 141–150.
Gooran, Y., Najafi, A., Tavoosy, M. Metalwork motifs of the Western part of Iran (13th and14th Centuries) in two samples of Reza Abbasi Museum “Basin and tray”. The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar, 2018; 15(59): 57-70
Grohmann, Adolf. Anthropomorphic and Zoomorphic Letters in the History of Arabic Writing, 1955-1956, In:Bulletin De Linstitut Degypte,38, 117-122.
Hartner, Willy. “The Pseudoplanetary Nodes of the Moon's Orbit in Hindu and Islamic Iconographies.” Ars Islamica, vol. 5, no. 2, 1938, pp. 112–154. 
Herzfeld, Ernst. “A Bronze Pen-Case.” Ars Islamica, vol. 3, no. 1, 1936, pp. 35–43.
Kamandlo Hossein, Rajabi Mohammad Ali. Investtigate The Inscriptions Of Talking Tree In Metal Working Art Of Khorasan (6 To 7 AH/ 12 To 13 AD). Jurnal Of Greate Khorasan.2015 [cited 2021May21];6(20 ):75-96.
Khezri, Mohammad Mohsen & Charei Abdolreza. Study Of The Scripts And Decorations Of The Kufic And Tuluth Inscriptions On Iranian Metal Containers In Seljuk Territory. Jurnal Of Greate Khorasan. 2017 [cited 2021May21];7(25 ):29-50.
Kuhnel, Ernst. 1387. Islamic Art, Translation: Hooshang Taheri, Toos, Tehran.
Kuhnel, Ernest.1966. Islamic Art and Architecture, Translated by Katherine Watson, Cornell University Press, Itaca, New York.
Lewis, Suzanne. “Sacred Calligraphy: The CHI RHO Page in the Book of KELLS.” Traditio, vol. 36, 1980, pp. 139–159.
Makarem Shirazi, Naser & etc. 1373. Tafsire Nemoone (24), Darol Kotob Eslamie, Tehran.
Melikian-Chirvani, A. S. 1982. Islamic metalwork from the Iranian world, 8-18th centuries. H.M.S.O.
Pancaroğlu, Oya .2017, Figural Ornament in Medieval Islamic Art . A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.
Pope, A. U., Ackerman, Phyllis, & Besterman, Theodore. 1964. A survey of Persian art from prehistoric times to the present, Tehran, Manafzade Group.
Rice, D. S. 1988. The Wade cup in the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Museum of Art. Mazda Publishers
Safadi, Yasin Hamid. 1381. Islamic Calligraphy, Translation: Mahnaz Shayeste far, Motaleate Honar Eslami, Tehran.
Schimmel, A. 1984. Calligraphy and Islamic culture. New York University Press.
Schimmel, A. 1379. Calligraphy, Editors: Ettinghausen, Richar&  Yarshater, Ehsan., ‎Highlights of Persian art, Translation: Hormoz Abdollahi & Ruin Pakbaz, Agah, Tehran.
Soofi, Abdolrahman ibn Omar, Probably the 12th lunar century. Sovar-ol-kavakeb.
Taheri, A. The sacred tree, the Talking tree and formation of Wak Wak motif. The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar, 2012; 8(19): 43-54
Taheri, A., sadeghi, S. The study of the Structure and Articulation of “Human-Script” Compound in the Artificial Arts of the Seljuk Era. The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar, 2017; 14(54): 47-56.
Watson, O. 2004. Ceramics from Islamic lands. Thames & Hudson, in association with the al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait National Museum.
Wilkinson, C. K. 1973. Nishapur: Pottery of the early Islamic period. Metropolitan Museum of Art; distributed by New York Graphic Society, Greenwich, Conn.
Wilkinson, C. K. 1987. Nishapur : Some early Islamic buildings and their decoration. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Zomorodi, Homeira. Abolfathe Bosti, Journal of Tahghighat-e Eslami, 1378; 13(1&2): 199-206
 
Url1: https://asia.si.edu/object/F1935.23/
Url2:https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/arts-of-the-islamic-world-l13223/lot.116.html
Url3: http://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;eg;Mus01;10;en
Url4: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1944.485
Url5: https://asia.si.edu/object/F1941.10/
Url6:https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/451701?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=63.16.2&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1
Url7:https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/451715?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=63.159.4&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1
Url8: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010326049
Url9: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010326276
Url10:https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449322?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=38.40.110&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1
Url11: https://asia.si.edu/object/F1936.7/
Url12: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1848-0805-2
Url13: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76889/ring-stand-ring-stand-unknown/
Url14: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76910/ewer-unknown/
Url15: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1885-0711-1-a
Url16: https://www.davidmus.dk/en/collections/islamic/dynasties/seljuks/art/65-1998
Url17:https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/08.%20applied%20arts/124524/!ut/p/z0/fcyxDoIwFIXhV8GBUW9BIK5NTUxIEMNU70KqAlawLaWKvr1onBwcz8mXHxA4oBJ32QgntRLdtPeYlDmlSbBkJM1ZvCY0L3ZxwbYbEkSQAv4HU0Fe-h4p4FErVz0c8FZc5VDam09GbdvB07UnrPMJWS08YUwnq9P7GHwShFEcfiKhzVjWABrhznOpag38lwP_ctPi4TnS2Qv7m0ny/
Url18: https://www.qantara-med.org/public/show_document.php?do_id=1264&lang=en
Url19:https://collections.ashmolean.org/collection/search/per_page/25/offset/0/sort_by/relevance/object/26958
Url20: https://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/concern/folios/z029p496h?locale=en
Url21: https://www.loc.gov/resource/amedscd.2008401028/?sp=3&st=gallery
 
Negareh Journal
Volume 18, Issue 65
April 2023
Pages 131-149

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 12 June 2021
  • Revise Date: 05 September 2021
  • Accept Date: 26 September 2021

Share

How to cite

Statistics