Medieval Persian Book Painting: Texts, Images and Patrons (P00271)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : ACE-P-P00271

This course traces the evolution of Persian painting from its origins in the Arab pictorial tradition, through its passing encounter with the arts of Europe and China in the period of Mongol rule (1220-1336) until its coming of age in the 15th century under the patronage of enlightened princes of the house of Timur. The later period saw the formation and steady refinement of the so-called 'classical style' of Persian painting and culminated in the career of Bihzad, universally recognised in Iran and the West alike as the supreme painter in the Persian tradition. Particular attention will be paid to the prime masterpiece of Persian literature, the Book of Kings (Shahnama) of Firdausi (d.1020) and the various themes that find pictorial expression through its many-layered text.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

History of Art, (School of Arts, Culture and Environment, Schedule A)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

? Additional Class Information : Semester 1 or 2, Th at times to be arranged

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will acquire a solid theoretical, historical and cultural framework for the field of Persian painting. A further aim will be to familiarise students with a wide variety of Persian texts. These will be religious, calendrical, historical, epic and lyric. Issues of patronage, technique and pictorial conventions will be tackled in the shifting contexts of different manuscripts, schools and periods.

Assessment Information

Principal means of assessment is a 4,000 word essay. In addition each candidate's performance will be monitored through the presentation of seminar material.