A Descriptive -Analytical Study of the Religious Representations of Ghahveh-Khaneh Paintings During the Qajar Period

The Qajar period is conceived as one of the most distinguished political and artistic eras of Iran. Qajar art, in some aspects, is in adherence with Safavid art. However, Qajar art developed into distinct aesthetic characteristics that find expression in most of the common artworks of this period such as wall paintings. Two types of wall paintings were common during this period: First, official-court wall paintings depict the figures of kings, princes, servants, and royal events. Second, the ritual-religious wall paintings whose main subjects are the images of the Shia nobles especially the tragedy of Karbala. These types of wall paintings are called Ghahveh-Khaneh (literally Coffee House) school. In Qajar society, these types of paintings were considered artworks that were the manifestation of the people’s religious beliefs; on the other hand, it was the political reflection of the Shia attitude toward the authorities of that era. Assuming the political, historical, and social impressions of the Qajar era, this research aims to explore the importance and value of the Qajar wall paintings through the descriptive analytical method as well as clarify and describe its social and religious effects on public beliefs.