پیکره (Mar 2000)
The symbolism of green color in Iranian-Islamic culture and art
Abstract
Problem definition: Colored symbols are one of the most prominent signs affecting the human beings psyche. Colors have special meanings in relation to the nature, culture, religious beliefs and life experiences. However, they are affected by the temporal and geographical locations, thought, culture, politics, religion and traditions of the people. Artists and poets have also used colored symbols to make their poetic and mental images tangible and to explain inexpressible concepts. The audience can achieve the thoughts and emotions of the artist as well as the subject and theme of the work through analyzing the colors in an artwork. The present study seeks to answer the question that what is the symbolic expression of green color in Iranian culture and art? Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the symbols of green color and analyze the concepts behind it in Iranian-Islamic culture and art and finally acquire better knowledge of Iranian symbolic concepts. Research Method: The current research has been conducted on a descriptive-analytical manner and comparative methods have been employed for the data analysis. The required information has been collected through searching in the library and internet sources Results: The green color in Mithraic thought and ritual is sometimes considered as a symbol of sky, moon and water and sometimes that of justice and angel. It was also a symbol of the peasantry in the class system of pre-Islamic society. This color in Islamic thought is also considered as a symbol of heaven and heavenly beings, prophets and imams while being as a stage of mystical behavior in mysticism and Sufism. Nature, faith, wisdom, youth and vitality, etc. are other symbols of the green color.
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