هويت جويي ايراني - اسلامي در نسخه هاي مصور شاهنامه فردوسي دوران ايلخاني تا اواسط صفويه

Investigating the Persian-islamic identity in Firdausis Shahnameh

Art is a humanistic and conscious event in which the artist grasps various external signs and explains them via his own feelings and emotions; and through his art, he conveys his feelings to his audience in a way that they too are moved by the artists sensation. What concerns us here is the fact that this transfer of feelings is not only based on the physical and structural basis of the work but has its roots in psychological values as well. These values stem from similar tastes, from the same culture and history and most importantly similar philosophical and theoretical backgrounds. When we reach these similarities in the mental aspect of human beings, we come across what is known as identity. The artist who is aware of this identity tries to create works of art that are distinguishable from the art of other nations. The artist can construct his works based on native originality, religion, and cultural values of his nation. In other words, historical background, epics of our ancestors, geographical features, native languages, and the traditions and customs of each culture can be all named as cultural identity. The Persian literature and especially poetry creates a nationwide pride that has a direct relation with the cultural and historical magnificence of this land. The writing and illustration of manuscripts and in particular Firdausis Shahnameh has always been a favorite for the artist as well as the rulers of Persia; for the creation of the Shahnameh manuscript as a literary and artistic tradition has been continually applied by artists over many centuries. In this regard, many manuscripts relating to the Ilkhanid era until the midst Qajar era exist. In this research, the value and significance of Shahnameh as one of representative national features will be emphasized along with its illustrations from various eras. Moreover, the beautifica-tion of the book and its position in different centuries will be explained and few examples will be mentioned. Questions answered throughout the article: 1-How is the national Persian identity reflected in the stories and concepts of Shahnameh? 2-In what way do the Shahnameh and painting collaborate in depicting the Persian identity? Aims: 1-Understanding the Persian-Islamic elements in the Shahnameh for unraveling the hidden identity, in the ilkhanid and safavid era. 2-Recognizing the influential elements in the Persian-Islamic identity.