Re-visiting the Expression of Femininity in Timurid Architecture with Emphasis on Visual Components (Case Study: Goharshād Mosque of Mashhad)

Abstract

Throughout history, women have exhibited their talents in the cultural, artistic and architectural features whenever they had the opportunity. Patron women, especially in the Timurid era, have also played a significant role in the creation and development of ornaments and motifs related to feminine concepts. The current study attempts to represent and re-read the Iranian-Islamic architecture based on the visual components of gender focusing on the concept of femininity in architecture. For this purpose, we initially reviewed the concepts related to gender and then examined the indications related to gender and femininity in the case study. It should also be noted that in order to determine the gender identity of visual attributes, we were required to discuss the same idea in philosophy, evolutionary psychology, psychoanalysis as well as recent research on the gender of objects. The results indicated that visual manifestations associated with masculine concepts have reduced in favor of feminine ones in Goharshād Mosque of Mashhad. One of the main reasons could be the strong presence of women in politics and architecture whose leading figure was Goharshād Āghā.

Keywords

• iranian-islamic architecture
• timurid period
• goharshād mosque of mashhad
• visual components of gender
• femininity