Investigating the Effect of Shiite Texts on the Imam Ali's (AS) Iconography in Thamesbi's Falnama

Abstract

Shiite texts contain a collection of Quranic exegesis, beliefs and narratives. They are result of centuries of Shiite efforts, especially Shi'a scholars, by collecting resources, reviewing content, and then writing and compiling them. These texts had significant effects on Persian painting, like other categories of Persian art. Falnama Tahmasbi is one of the manuscripts of the Shah Tahmasb which has several pictures and is influenced by Shiite sources. This version is also known as the “Imam Sadeq's (AS) Falnama” and “dispersed Falnama”. Imam Ali (pbuh) has a special place in Falnama Tahmasbi, and the Alawite's themes in Falnama show holiness, courage and dignity of him. The analysis of this version indicates influence of Shi'a texts on it, but the role of the stories and beliefs which were common in the Safavid era cannot be ignored. The research method is descriptive-analytical with comparative approach and information is gathered from library and field resources. This study includes seven paintings of Falnama Tahmasbi related to Imam Ali (AS) that have iconography from Amir al-Momenin (AS).

Keywords

• falnama tahmasbi
• shiite texts
• alavi paintings
• shah tahmasb
• iconography
• qazvin school
• safavid