History of painting art in Iran

History of painting in Iran goes back to the caveman period. Painted images of animals and shapes have been discovered in the caves of Lorestan province. Paintings have been discovered by (W.Semner) on the walls of buildings in Malayer and Fars that belonged to 5000 years ago.
The discovered paintings in Lorestan and Sialak hill on the pottery dishes prove that the artists of this region were familiar with painting.
History of painting in Iran goes back to the caveman period. In the caves of Lorestan province, painted images of animals and shapes have been discovered. Paintings have been discovered by (W.Semner) on the walls of buildings in Malayer and Fars that belonged to 5000 years ago.
Also, some paintings were discovered from the Parthian period. They are a few paintings on the wall that most of them were obtained from the northern parts of the Euphrates River. One of these paintings shows a hunting scene. The situation of riders and animals, and the style of this painting reminds Iranian miniatures to us.
In the paintings of the Achaemenid era painting of the face (portrait) was preferred over the other. Fitness and beautify of colors in this era are remarkable. The paintings are without shade and they have coordination. In some cases, they limited deep black surfaces.
(Torfan) painting which was found in the Gal desert in Turkistan province in China is related to the year 840 to 860 AD.
This painting Iranian landscapes and portrayals. Also, there images of tree branches in the painting. The most ancient paintings of the Islamic period which are very rare were created in the first half of the thirteenth century. Iranian miniatures (with good and small design) were created after the fall of Baghdad in 1285 AD. Since the beginning of the fourteenth century, manuscripts were decorated with the scenes of war and hunting.
China in the seventh century onwards was the most important motivation for painting in Iran as an artistic center. Since then, the relationship between Buddhist Chinese painters and Iranian painter has occurred.
Historically, the most important evolution in Iranian art was the adoption of Chinese designs which was mixed with staining that was a specific conception of Iranian artists. The extraordinary beauty and skill of Iranian painter is really out of the description. In the first century of Islam, Iranian artists began adorning books.
Books were painted and decorated with a beautiful opening and margins. These designs and methods were transferred from one generation to another in the same style which is known as the "Art of Illumination". Clarification and beautifying art of books had much progress during the Seljuk and Mongol and Timurid period. The reputation of the Islamic period paintings was from Baghdad school.
Miniatures of Baghdad school, totally has lost the normal painting methods and styles of the pre-Islamic period.
These primitive and innovative paintings do not have the necessary art pressure. Miniatures of Baghdad school are not proportional. They show Semitism images and bright colors used in the painting. After years of stagnation, School artists of Baghdad were eager to create and innovate new regulations. The school's special look is at the animals and illustrating stories.
Although Baghdad school had considered the pre-Islamic art to some extent, that was superficial and primitive. In the same period, Iranian miniature art had been broadcast in the whole territory of the Far East, Africa and Europe.
"Kalila and Dimna" book can be referred as one of the illustrated books in the Baghdad style. Images are painted larger than the usual color, and only a few colors are used in these paintings.
Most manuscripts of the thirteenth century, legends and stories are decorated with pictures of animals and vegetables. One of the oldest Iranian small books called "مناف الحيوان" occurred in 1299 AD. This book describes the characteristics of animals. In this book, the natural history is mixed with legend.
The themes of this book which has many images are important to introduce the art of Persian painting. Colors are brighter than Baghdad school method.
After the Mongol invasion, a new school appeared in Iran. The school was under the influence of the Chinese and Mughal styles. These paintings are all dry and inert and pure, in the Chinese style. After the Mongol invasion of Iran and under the influence of Iranian art, they encouraged painters and artists. Mogul style can be seen in the paintings of Iranian artists. Compositions, and good short lines that can be considered. Iranian paintings are linear, not dimensional. Artists in this field have shown creativity and originality.
Mughal artists respected the Iranian topics in addition to techniques. A part of their job was the description of the literary works such as Shahnameh of Ferdowsi. Among the different topics, their greatest interest was books with large images.
Unlike the Mughal and Baghdad school, most of the works have left from Harat School. The founder of this style of painting was Harat School who was the ancestor of Timurid and this school was named Harat School for the place founding.
Art experts believe that the paintings in the Timurid era had reached its peak. During this period, outstanding masters, such as Kamal al-Din Behzad offered a new method to the Iranian painting. In this period (Timurid) that lasted from 1370 to 1405 AD; miniaturization and painting art reached its highest degree of perfection and many great artists have put their lives on this.
Two valuable have left from Bāysonqor; one book is "Kalila and Dimna" and the other book is "Shahnameh". Iranian miniature art in the Shahnameh, which was painted in 1444 AD in Shiraz is well known.
One of these projects show a beautiful scene of an Iranian court in the Chinese style. Iranian blue and white tiles with beautiful Persian carpets are shaped geometrically. In one of the manuscript books of "Khamse Nezami", thirteen beautiful miniatures are painted by "Mirek". This extremely valuable piece is now in the British Museum. In this part, architects and engineers are busy in building. The painting was painted in 1494 in Herat.
Behzad, the greatest master of Herat school style, has developed this art. He invented a style which was never used before.
One of the most notable works is the Shahnameh book which is located in the Golestan library in Iran. This Shahnameh was painted in Harat School style during the reign of one of the Timurid princes.
The paintings of this book is at the highest level of beauty and strength from the perspective of staining and the proportion of the images.
In the Safavid era the center of art became Tabriz city and some artists also settled in the city of Qazvin but the original Safavid painting was created in Isfahan.
Persian miniatures were isolated from the Chinese style in the Safavid period in Isfahan and step on a new road. The painters were later inclined towards naturalism. Reza Abbasi was the founder of "Safavid painting school" style. The excellent transformation has occurred in the paintings Safavid period.
The paintings of this period are one of the best and most beautiful and tasteful designs of Persian painting that represents the Iranian painting taste. Miniatures created in this period (Safavi School) are not painted exclusively for the purpose of adorning and illustrating books. Safavid style is much better and smoother than the Timurid School style (Herat) and especially the Mughal style.
In the Safavid painting, their expertise in this field is clearly evident. The best indicator of this period is the paintings which are painted in chehel sotoon and Ali Ghapou buildings.
In the Safavid painting, the main topic is the lush and beautifulness of this period. Painting topics are mostly about the court of kings, nobles, beautiful palaces, beautiful landscapes and scenes of war.
In these paintings, humans are drawn with expensive clothes, handsome faces and elegant statues. Painting art at the Safavid period became more and also had high quality. In these paintings, freedom, skill and precision can be seen more.
Artists are mostly worked on the general principles and they refused unnecessary details which were used in Herati and Tabrizi method. Smooth lines, expression of feelings and condensing the subjects are the characteristics of the Safavid painting style. Since, some disputes have occurred in painting at the end of the Safavid period in term of thinking, European-style appearance can be realized in the paintings.
The paintings of the Qajar period (sixteenth century) is a combination of classical European style and the style and technique of the miniature art of Sufi. In this period, "Mohammad Ghaffari (Kamal-ol Molk)" promoted the European classical style in Iran. In this period, there was a style of painting known as the "Coffee House". This type of painting is a new phenomenon in the history of art. "Coffee house" style is popular and religious.
Topics of this style were often the images of prophets and imams, religious beliefs, wars, and national warriors. "Coffee Houses" gradually opened its place among people. Story tellers told religious and epic tales for people. Artists had painted all stories on the wall of the "coffee houses". In the past, kings and nobles supported artists; but this time artists painted landscapes on the wall by the request of ordinary people and they interested in this job.
In most of the "coffee houses", these scenes were painted by the request of public. The finest examples are kept in the main Museum of Tehran, as well as some of the private museums inside and outside the country. Iranian paintings offer a sweetness to the audience that is unlike anything else.
They have kept a vast connection with epic stories. Iranian painting is as one of the greatest painting styles in Asia. Bright sky (blue), the astonishing beauty of blooms, the people who love and the people who hate, jovial and depressed shape the different topics of Iranian paintings.
Greatest Iranian Painting:
Mani: Mani (Prophet and Iranian painter), who lived in the third century. He was an experienced and skilled painter. His paintings were one of his miracles.
Behzad Herati: (851-942) Kamal al-Din Behzad Harati was the famous painter of the tenth century and contemporary Sultan Bayghara and King Ismail.
Reza Abbasi: (974-1044) known as Agha Reza Abbasi the son of Ali Asghar Kashi, the famous painter at King Abbas period who was named Abbasi by King Abbas. He was one of the most skilled painters of his era. Examples of paintings of Europe, including Italy were common in Isfahan Bazaar and the taste of encouraging artist was strengthened in King Abbas.
Hossein Behzad: (1313) Master Hossein Behzad was a miniaturist from Isfahan. He has a very beautiful paintings. His father was Fazlullah Esfahani who was a painter and pen maker. Some of his works are the Board of Rudaki – Safi Al-Din board and a variety of well-known and famous paintings and miniatures.
Mosavver Al-Malek: (1269) Hossein Mosavver Al-Maleki known as Haji Mosavver Al-Maleki was a master in all painting fields such as Eastern and Western and water colors and gilding, carpet and miniature. His famous works: Persepolis village - New Year Greetings - Dariush - checkers king in India.
Sani al-Molk: (1229-1283) Mirza Abul Hassan Ghafari Sani al-Molk was a famous painter during Nasereddin Shah Period. His paintings are in the Vatican Museum. 84 illustrious images are his works. Kamalolmolk is his nephew.
Kamalolmolk: (1264-1319) Mohammad Ghafari, the son of the great Mirza, the master and painting artist who trained students such as Heydariyan, Ishmael Ashtiani, Siddiqui, and Ali Rokhsar and he died in 1319 in Nishapur. His pictures are Mirror Hall- Hall of Golestan Palace - Sardar Asad- Sahebgharanieh spring house.
Heydariyan: (1275) Master Ali Mohammad Heydariyan was one of the students of Kamalolmolk. Most of his works can be seen at the royal palaces.