An Analysis of the Symbolic Evolution of the Fish Motif in the History of Iranian Painting from the Ilkhanid to Safavid Period

Panjehbashi, Elaheh; Mohammadzadeh, Rana

doi:10.22059/jhss.2025.385802.473754

An Analysis of the Symbolic Evolution of the Fish Motif in the History of Iranian Painting from the Ilkhanid to Safavid Period

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Elaheh Panjehbashi ¹

Rana Mohammadzadeh ²

¹ Associate Professor Faculty of Arts, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

² Master's student in Painting, Faculty of Visual Arts, University of Art, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jhss.2025.385802.473754

Abstract

The fish motif, as one of the types of aquatic motifs alongside the element of water in Iranian painting, has various and multi-layered symbolic meanings. This motif, which has been represented in various forms in the history of Iranian art; in addition to its visual aesthetic aspects, has symbolic meanings that are linked to the religious, mythological, and cultural beliefs of Iranian society. In this article, the symbolic themes of the fish motif in selected paintings from the Ilkhanid to Safavid schools have been examined. The aim of the research, in addition to stating the history of the implementation of the fish motif in Iranian art works and reviewing the structural features of this motif, is to examine the symbolic meanings of the aforementioned motif in selected paintings from Iranian painting schools. The question here is: What symbolic themes and visual features did the fish motif have in the paintings? In addition, in which parts of the history of Iranian art can the roots of these symbolic meanings be found? How has the visual evolution of the fish motif in paintings been? The collection of this material has been done through a library and documentary method, with a historical approach and in a descriptive-analytical manner. The results of the research show that, in Iranian painting, the fish is not only a symbol of life, blessing, and stability, but also acts as a mediator between the earthly and spiritual worlds and has played an important role in explaining the worldview of Iranian artists. Although this motif has not played a frequent role in painting, in cases where it has been used, it has often played a key role in the visual narrative of the painting, such as: the fish motif in the painting of Prophet Yunus (AS) and the whale. The findings indicate that the fish motif in paintings acquires a special meaning in accordance with the narrative context and overall theme of the scene. However, in a more general view, this motif is an influential and meaningful element in the compositional structure of the paintings, and its presence, often beyond its decorative aspect, carries symbolic concepts that add to the semantic richness of the work.

Keywords

Iranian painting

Miniature

symbol

motif

fish motif

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