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Art Historiography in the Safavid Era: A Case Study of Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi
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Azam Esmaeilzadeh *   , Mohammad Hasan Moradi |
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Abstract: (2 Views) |
Art historiography during the Safavid period, particularly within courtly historical sources, holds significant importance. This research aims to explain and analyse art historiography in the Safavid era, focusing on the book Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi by Eskandar Beg Monshi. The primary objective is to examine the methods, approaches, and content of art historiography within this work, thereby understanding the position of art and artists in the historical narrative of this court historian. As one of the most vital texts of official Safavid historiography, Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi contains invaluable data regarding the art and architecture of the period. However, no independent research has specifically examined art historiography within this text. This study is essential, as exploring the hidden layers of this text not only illuminates a portion of the era’s art history but also reveals how art is reflected through the lens of court historiography and state ideology. Conducted using a historical method with a descriptive-analytical approach, this study relies on library-based data collection. Primary data were gathered from the original text of Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi, supplemented by related sources on Safavid art and historiography. The central question guiding this research is: What is the nature of art historiography in Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi, and what are its defining characteristics and functions? The findings indicate that art historiography in Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi entirely serves the ideology of the Safavid state and the legitimisation of Shah Abbas the Great. The most prominent features of this historiography include the prioritisation of the “patron” (the Shah) over the “creator” (the artist); selectivity in recording court-approved arts; the influence of the Shi’a religious atmosphere; and the inherent limitations of the historian’s courtly position. Within this narrative, art functions as an instrument to showcase the monarch’s glory and grandeur, with artistic accounts frequently adopting a tone of praise and sanctification towards royal endeavours.
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| Keywords: Art Historiography, Safavid Era, Tarikh-e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi, Eskandar Beg Monshi, Court Art |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
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