Manifestation of Popular Culture in Islamic Painting

Extensive research has been carried out till now on the Persian painting, but there are still some facts and matters to be reexamined and evaluated more beyond the common schools of art.There are some rare examples of paintings in this respect which are worth studying from different viewpoints. Created in different manners and styles, such artworks have their origins in the ideals and norms related to heroes and champions of Iran. Having originated from historical and epic beliefs and events, some of these paintings adopt a theatrical approach and are narrated by some special storytellers. Regarding distinct themes and styles, we can categorize such paintings under the “popular art”. This art is sometimes naïve and simplified and some other times severe in the form of protest art, and occasionally replete with hints and symbols. In this way, the artist moves towards popular life, drawing inspiration from it. In this article it’s been tried to study and discover the influential factors of the formation of some unusual styles in different centuries after Islam. Furthermore, the cultural movements as well as epic, historical themes of the Shahnameh and the influence of East art would be evaluated to obtain the desired results.

Keywords:

Persian painting , popular art , gosān , نقاشی ایرانی , هنر عامه , گوسان