Exploring the image of angels in painting of Qajar period

Abstract

The good and evil issues have always busied the human's mind. The image of angels as the most important symbol of goodness has many applications in the literature on the mythologic, epic, religious and vulgar subjects before and after Islam. The images of angels have greatly changed over time from the visual aspect. How these changes have occurred can be found in the evolution that started from the pre-Islamic art and continued to the Islamic period. By promoting Shiite as the official religion in the Safavid period, we are witness-ing the spread of religious imageries in the art of painting. Hence, by the pro-motion of religious paintings in Qajar, the role of the angels was also formed in various artistic fields.The presence of angels images for more religious emphasis was so effective for the painters. Thus, the image of the angels in the history of Iran art, despite the visual changes, always keeps its visual and spiritual properties. But in Qajar period, we see a new approach in the visual and spiritual nature and the type of the angels in the art of paintings.

Keywords

• qajar art
• angels
• painting
• illustration
• iranian