Visual Semiotics of the Iranian Prince in the Indian Paintings of "Darab-Namah" (British Library Manuscript)

Abstract

Problem Definition: «Darab-Namah» is a folk legend about Darab, the hero, and his son Firuz Shah, during which the love of an Iranian prince for a Yemeni princess is narrated. This story is of interest among the Iran-oriented tendencies of the Gurkans of India, and it was included in the painting projects of Akbar Shah's court.Objective: For this purpose, in this research, it is decided to ask the question; What is the shape, pictorial signs and compositions, in the illustrations of Darab Nama Tarsusi manuscript of the British Library should be answered.Research Method: This research is fundamental in nature and is formed using a descriptive-analytical method based on documentary studies and a visual semiotics framework. The sampling method is purposeful, and the number of 7 elected Majlis out of 157 paintings of Darab-Namah of Tarsus is used for the qualitative analysis.Results: The visual elements of the British Library manuscript are rich in cultural markers. Factors such as applying3w the symbolic and expressive aspects of colors, organizing visual elements in line with the story event, emphasizing the central character through the position on the page, and the type of angle of view have played an effective role in the meaning generation process.

Keywords

• darab-namah
• indian painting
• visual semiotics
• iranian prince