A Comparative Analysis of the Design and Color Scheme of a Qājār-Era Carpet Preserved in the Carpet Museum of Iran, and the Tilework of the Golestan Palace

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Ra’na Mohammad Zade ¹
• Elaheh Panjeh Bashi ²

¹ M.A. Graduate, Painting, Faculty of Visual Arts, University of the Arts, Tehran, Iran

² Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

10.22067/jhistory.2025.89146.1319

Abstract

The structural similarity of the motifs used in various types of crafts from a particular historical period is a defining feature of artistic schools. The present study focuses on identifying the artistic characteristics of the Qājār era. In doing so, from among the handicrafts that have always attracted attention, a Tehran-made carpet from the Qājār era has been selected for study and comparison with the tilework of the Golestan Palace complex, regarding their designs and motifs. The objective of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of color schemes and motif designs in selected carpet and tilework samples. It addresses the following questions: What are the elements of visual similarity between the mentioned carpet and tilework of Golestan Palace? To what extent has the carpet’s layout received influences from the decorative tile patterns of the palace? Data has been collected through library research with a historical approach, and findings have been compared using the descriptive-analytical method. As a result, the study highlights some of the key structural features of the motifs used in Qājār-era artworks. The colors blue, yellow, and pink emerge as dominant colors in both the carpet and the tilework. Although they serve different functions, the design and color in the samples of this study are visually consistent. This point reflects the shared aesthetic conventions of the Qājār era. Among these motifs, certain elements introduced from the West, such as the pink rose, were assimilated into Iranian artworks with some modifications by blending with earlier Iranian visual traditions. The carpet, as a handwoven object, is different in nature from tilework, which serves as an architectural decoration. However, its visual components share similar stylistic traits with those of the tilework, which is due to their contemporaneity and the artistic spirit (zeitgeist) of the period.

Keywords

• Qājār
• Golestan Palace
• tilework
• carpet design
• carpet motifs

Main Subjects

• History of Islamic Arts

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