The Craft of Interiors

Abstract

This study examines interior scenes in the celebrated Safavid Shahnameh of 1525 produced for Shah Tahmasp, highlighting their contribution as a unique category within architectural representations in Persian art. It traces the evolution of interior representations in Persian manuscripts, providing a concise history of Shahnameh illustrations and their cultural influences. The core of the research centers on developing a proposed classification system that facilitates the interpretation of interior spaces. The examination closely analyzes fifty-two interior miniatures from the manuscript, paying attention to their diversity and intricate detailing. Addressing the interiors as a distinct category sheds light on making the miniatures in terms of interior representations, and their role in the overall individual and collective reading of the folios within the manuscript. The study suggests that artists purposefully planned these interiors in their endeavor to depict interiors across multiple locations in the manuscript. They crafted a repertoire of interiors, each distinctly representative of a specific locale. This process integrates established artistic conventions for rendering architectural spaces, complemented by their access to visual and written resources. This incorporation details architectural imagery, in addition to relying on the requirements of the narrative of the Shahnameh epic poem.