Aesthetics of Islamic Miniature Art During the Periods of Safavid and Timurid Rules in Iran

Abstract

Islamic art represents the spiritual and physical aspects in the lives of  Muslims. Meaningful beauty in Islamic art expresses Islamic aesthetics. Islamic aesthetics is the connection between beauty and the sacred. The article is devoted to the Islamic art and miniature paintings of Timurid and Safavid periods in Iran. Miniature art is one of traditional forms of Islamic art. The aesthetics of Islamic miniature art came to being as the result of the marriage of pre-Islam painting arts and Muslim aesthetic ideals. The article discusses the aesthetic qualities of the Islamic painting art and highlights the history of miniature painting art in Iran. The Iranian miniatures of Timurid and Safavid eras are compared while their common features are identified. The author emphasizes the aesthetic characteristics of Tabriz and Herat miniature paintings. The article presents an overview of contemporary Iranian art.

Keywords: The Timurids, the Safavids, hadith, miniature art, Islamic art