Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Associate Prof, Faculty of Cinema and Theater, Tehran University of Art
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Theories and Art Studies, University of Art
3 Comparative and Analytic History of Islamic Art, Faculty of theories and art studies, University of Art
Abstract
Theoretical foundations of the decorative arts were laid in the nineteenth century and in the ideas of people like Owen Jones . In Jones’ opinion cultural symbols are as general and timeless as natural symbols, and the nature of decorative patterns is language of form and absolute color. The Grammar of Ornament is a summary of his theories. Central to his thesis is the notion that anything that is conceived of as beautiful will be in harmony with the laws of nature .
Arthur Pope’s decorative theory - In the first Pahlavi era - changed the prevailing artistic attitudes of the country, and the new decorative features appeared versus Dar ul- Funun’s representational feature . It seems that Pope’s transhistorical view focusing on some inherent and timeless characteristics of the Persian art, observing a strong identity for it, traced these characteristics back to the ancient history of Persia, and let the officials- protecting the culture and art- , misuse the identity images. On the other hand, the support and application of Pope’s decorative theory by the executive bodies of the government assured a kind of power concentration within the new government in the cultural arena. Hence the decorative theory, aiding the archaic nationalism, was established as the theoretical foundation of Iran’s official art in the first Pahlavi era.
Although in Pope’s decorative theory the beauty of the Iranian art is manifested in the beauty of its pattern and design, Pope believes that terms like "Decorative" and "Ornamental" are not enough to describe the decorative quality of Persian art, and then he introduces “ pure form ” as the main material of the Persian art, and the proper order, accuracy, clarity, elegant designing, and the employment of bold designs as the “decorative ideals of the Persian art”.
this analytical - descriptive research, using Library study methods, aims to study the decorative feature of the Persian art from Pope’s point of view. It is also seeking to answer this fundamental question that: what is the distinction between the definition of the decorative art in the West and the kind of pure formal art representing the decorative quality of Persian art from Pope’s point of view?
It seems that Pope , influenced by the Traditionalists , describes the decorative quality of the Persian art - regarding the ornamental patterns , or considering its techniques or process - a meaningful collection , resulted from the uniqueness of the Persian art, not from some adoptable , general patterns , and meaningless symbols . In this framework, we put the idea of the significant form of the formalists as the equivalent of the decorative ideals of the Persian art, and also focus on formal discourse about the sacred art of the Traditionalists .
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