The ancient Persian culture granted preponderant importance to aspect decorative of their art which they used as a resource and a half of expression with a deep philosophical meaning of life. This decorative aspect shows the daily life of the life of man in his perennial struggle for survival.
The profuse Decorative symbolism I provide the appropriate vehicle to express your desires and aspirations as well as its particular way of seeing life with security, self -confidence and great inner power. It is a refined, attractive and deeply expressive decoration directed directly to the viewer’s heart through the emotions it communicates. They designed these art objects using figurative patterns where the forms of the original objects as well as of the human figure are easily recognized in the images.
The slow process of finding and establishing an ideal decoration formula to express the emotions and concepts they had about life began since the first artists; The primitive ceramic painters made conventions of great clarity and expressive energy that laid the basis of the type of decorative design so characteristic of the imagination of the Persians. They opened the doors to infinite possibilities of expression techniques and means of elaboration; that had been developed and evolved since then from thousands of years.
He Persian art It has a close relationship with poetry as well as religious and philosophical thinking. Milk years of literary development corroborate that the Persians stand out on other cultures such as the most poets and imaginative. This characteristic of overflowing imagination moves to his works of art in all his artistic manifestations.
Persian artists and artisans make the images of their designs express Emotional strength and do not limit themselves only to representing the purely intrinsic character of the object. In his hands; These works of art come alive, denote expressions such as joy or sadness, thus awakening a wide range of deep and intense sensations comparable to the sensations we feel with musical works.
Artists explore possibilities to express the beauty carried out by the primary need for emotional expression so specific and inherent to the Persian people, for which they use a large amount of resources in which there are no elements of the culture of other peoples. He Persian art mature slowly and develop their own specific canons testing to be so effective that they passed the test of time and the borders they influenced.
The fantastic legends, fairy stories or even how the characteristics of the monsters were delineated, always had a realistic and convincing air, with a dramatic and emotional load in which it is perceived that they rejected the dark, confused and irrational aspects.
This emphasis on lucidity does not produce a cold or abstract art on the contrary, Persian artists are managed to express movement in the lines, expressiveness dare of color, definition of forms with the use of contrasts between the figure and the background and although yes; It is true that sometimes it seems a bit about calculated, excessively conscious and fussy in search of coherence concentration and balance, these elements in the end help the expressiveness of the work and the successful communication of feelings instead of reducing effectiveness to this intention.
The Persians were skilled teachers in the elaboration of miniatures who elaborated with exquisite detail but were also able to develop monumental works with amazing ingenuity and amazing technical displays. They achieved the perfect balance and adjustment even in the works with intricate decorative motifs. They proved to have a peculiar skill in reducing images to their simpler terms without losing expressiveness.
They could achieve in their works a perfect communication with the spectator even dare of silhouettes and knew very well how to indicate an abstract fact or idea without violating the terms of coherent visual expectation. Thus eliminated Persian artists the frustration that the ambiguity effect can produce on the viewer. In his explorations for finding his own identity over such a extensive period of time, at certain times we see that a turn towards realism or naturalism and some compulsion to be influenced by the art of Rome or Greece occurs. But this style did not satisfy the Persians, it seemed relatively superficial, particular and individual. They leaned more towards an universal timeless presentation.
Although the formulas that were developed in Persian art were numerous; Many of them effective and rational, too often they became monotonous stereotypes. However, these limitations must be recognized that Persia occupies a predominant place in terms of the number of artistic formulas implemented in their art, achieving supremacy in many media in which the frescoes stand out; that show universally valid forms of artistic expression, those that make up; Together with the rest of the Persian works, a beautiful heritage for current and future generations.
Main aspects of Persian culture
Aquemenide period (550 -330 BC)
– Monumental style with relief sculptures attached to complex architectural complexes with profuse decoration; but always looking for the simplicity that transmitted the message and intention clearly.
– Sculptures made using elements where clarity, simplicity of forms and stylization are based on achieving rapid communication and emotion in the viewer.
– Goldsmith and metal work that use the same principle of clarity and simplicity by evading the ambiguous, dark or clumsy.
– Use of the technique from Babylon with low reliefs made in glazed bricks using a carefully elaborate decoration.
Sasanida period (AD 224 – 651)
– Architectural decorations in carved stone, stucco walls, some of which were decorated with bright colors with large contrasts. Style that was also used in the elaboration of mosaics.
– Great development of metal work, the most used silver glasses with animal figures, we also find large bronze and disheveled bronze needle.
– The most used themes were the scenes of cuts, hunts, animals, birds and stylized plants, battle scenes, steeds and riders.
– Refined, attractive and deeply expressive decoration. Great emotional and imaginative strength in the message of the images as it had also been in the Aquemenide period.
– Figurative patterns where the shapes of the original objects as well as of the human figure are easily recognized in the images.
– Ease in the representation of abstract ideas without violating the consistent terms of the visual.
Islamic art in Persia.
From the seventh century.
- Religious art is less prominent in Islamic art with the exception of Islamic architecture.
- Figurative painting addresses religious scenes, both in the walls of the palaces and in enlightened poetry books.
- Manuscript calligraphy and decoration presents prominent religious inscriptions.
- The work done in the handmade Persian carpets and using natural elements; They share the same themes and styles as the wood facts.
- The elaboration of beautiful glass lamps in the mosques as well as great skill in the elaboration and application of tiles.
- High development in the miniature and enlightened manuscripts.
- Ceramics presents influences of Chinese ceramics and a wide development of mayolic clothing occurs.
- Metal works in the elaboration of different articles in which they show mastery in the realization of them.
- They use designs with calligraphy and arabesques such as candeleros, lamp supports, candlesticks, bowls, plates, vases, buckets, alleoniles as well as coffins, case to store feathers among many other objects.
- High level of achievements in other materials used such as gold, silver, ivory and the size of precious jewelry stones.
Video: «The Ancient Art of Persian»
Carpet Persia Iran.
Uploaded by Rezamousoli on Jul 13, 2010 in You Tube.