Thesis of Master's thesis in the field of handicrafts
Trend of design and production of wooden products
Abstract
Chair is one of the practical tools that people constantly deal with during the day due to its type of use, and it has always been the attention of craftsmen and designers. Therefore, motifs and symbols that are rooted in the precious treasure of our traditional arts have the ability to be used in the decoration of chairs and sofas in the contemporary period, especially the motifs of the Safavid period, especially those motifs that were executed in the Abbasid Grand Mosque, are very rich and valuable, therefore they will always be of interest to traditional artists in the contemporary period and later periods. Now, one of the questions raised in this context is how to use the visual features of the motifs of the Abbasi Mosque in decorating sofas and chairs? In terms of the purpose, the conducted research is placed in the applied and developmental category, because its result leads to the large production of the product. Also, the mentioned research in terms of method; It is historical, descriptive and experimental. Because it examines the decorations of the Abbasid Grand Mosque and describes it. Among the results of the studies conducted on the motifs of the Abbasid Grand Mosque, it is important to find that the motifs and compositions used in this mosque are more suitable for use in furniture and chairs than other contemporary buildings in Isfahan in terms of variety, size and form, while maintaining the originality of the motifs.
Key words: visual feature, traditional design, chairs, architectural decorations, Abbasid Mosque
Foreword
Decorative motifs including salamis, khatais and geometrics have had a great impact on the remaining works of both architecture and handicrafts from the past until now. Slimi and Khataei both represent plant motifs and nature that are abstracted. The repetition of these motifs in the works expresses the context of blessings and in fact, the flowers and bushes emphasize the interest of Iranians in the longevity of life. These plant motifs are actually the evolved form of the same decorative motifs before Islam, to which Islam has given a spiritual elegance. The Iranian artist has reached perfection in plant motifs, and these motifs have reached their peak in his hands more than other artistic styles.
The decorative motifs of the Abbasid Grand Mosque, which is one of the works of the Safavid period, have features such as proportions, composition, correct use and proper juxtaposition and respect for the positive and negative space between the motifs, for this reason, it was considered suitable for this project. The upcoming research is divided into two theoretical and practical parts. In the theoretical part of the research, an attempt has been made to identify the characteristics and concepts of the motifs used in the Abbasid Grand Mosque. The practical part of the project also tried to express the correct folding and the principles of making chairs and also tried to come up with new designs for making chairs and contemporary furniture. Accordingly, the said research is organized in four chapters.
The first chapter deals with the generalities of the research, which describes the statement of the problem, objectives, necessity and background of the research. The second chapter with the title of the research context presents the historical and cultural materials of the Safavid era and then emphasizes the Abbasid Grand Mosque and the decorative motifs used in this building. The fourth chapter is dedicated to the practical part of the research. In this chapter, the decorative motifs of the Abbasid Grand Mosque have been analyzed, then based on the designs based on these motifs, a practical project has been completed. Chapter One
Research overview
- 1 Problem statement
The chair is one of the practical devices that people constantly deal with during the day due to its type of use. Therefore, most of the chairs are designed and made, which seems to have no Iranian symbolic design and no Iranian originality. It also has western, eastern and foreign roots to some extent.
For this reason, the need to conduct research in this direction is colorful and important. In fact, by knowing the symbolic features of traditional Iranian design, one can examine the question of how to give identity to the chair.In fact, by knowing the symbolic features of traditional Iranian design, we can examine the question of how to give identity to the chair? The works designed and made in the field of chairs to what extent can their use be related to the motifs used in the work. Therefore, the researcher tries to understand the visual characteristics of the decorative elements of the Abbasid Grand Mosque of Isfahan, especially with a more colorful look at the tiling decorations done in this building, to get a brief understanding of the decorative motifs of the Isfahan School, and the ultimate goal of this research is to use these motifs correctly and appropriately in the design and construction of wooden chairs.
"With the emergence of Shah Abbas I (1589-1627), the golden age of Safavid architecture began. His ambitions, impressive talent, and the help of his worthy government started a new era in Iran's architecture. Although it was certainly not the most prosperous era of Iran's architecture, it was the era of Islamic architecture. During the reign of Shah Abbas I, drawing and design were so important that the decorations were dissolved in the building (Pope, 2070: ).
"The Abbasid Grand Mosque was started in the spring of 1611 AD and was completed in 1630 AD during the time of the successor of Shah Abbas named Safi (1629-1642). The entrance vestibule of the Shah Mosque is aligned with the square, but the rest of the building, like Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, is turned around 45 degrees to face Mecca" (Graber and others, 1389: 478).
"Almost the entire surface of the building is covered with glazed tiles and is full of flower and bush motifs in a single and imaginative way. From the big golden sun at the top of the dome, whose life is partly spread through the huge mass of flowers and bushes, to the high arches and frames decorated with thousands of blossoms and star-like flowers, all these arrangements emphasize the Iranians' interest in growth and their poetic love for flowers. As if it is a request for the duration of life" (Pope, 2010: 211).
The main question:
How can the visual features of the motifs of the Abbasid Grand Mosque be used to make a chair?
Sub-questions:
What characteristics should the motifs used in the chair have?
How can the motifs of the Abbasid Mosque be expanded in contemporary life?
How can the motifs of the chair be used in line with the type of use of the chair?
1-2. Importance and necessity of research
Motifs in traditional arts are a valuable treasure for the correct use of these motifs in wooden handicrafts, especially chairs and furniture. Especially the Safavid era, which is called the only golden age of Iranian art, especially the Abbasid Jame Mosque, which is an architectural masterpiece of the era of Shah Abbas's rule. This artistic feature, along with concepts, creates variety and innovation in the field of chair making. By using these motifs in contemporary chairs and furniture, it is somehow possible to prevent the inappropriate use of motifs that have no identity in our culture, and in fact, one of the important needs of this research is to design and produce a product with completely Iranian and original characteristics, in order to show the importance of these valuable motifs to the people. If this issue is not paid attention to, the importance and application of motifs may be forgotten over time, and instead motifs will be used in this direction, which is somewhat contrary to the rich culture of Iran.
1-3. Research objectives: Main objectives: To know the visual features of the motifs of the Abbasid Grand Mosque of Isfahan (proportions, compositions and motifs). Research method
1-4-1. Research in terms of purpose
The said research consists of two theoretical and practical parts. The theoretical part examines and applies decorative motifs of the Safavid period in the Abbasid Grand Mosque, hence it is a fundamental research. On the other hand, because motifs are used in contemporary chairs and furniture, and it tries to produce new works; It is placed in the applied research category.
1-4-2. The research method in terms of method
The research conducted is historical, descriptive and experimental, because it is related to the Safavid historical period in terms of time, and during this research, it has described the visual characteristics of the motifs of the Abbasid Grand Mosque.