Aesthetics of Stucco and Tiles. Archaeometric and Art Historical Perspectives on Architectural Decoration in Iran, 11th-14th centuries
Islamic Studies, Arabian Studies, Semitic Studies
Art History
Final Report Abstract
Artistic techniques and aesthetics of architectural decoration in medieval Iran have long been recognized as a topic of crucial importance in Islamic Art. The present project proposes a systematic research designed to achieve a deeper understanding of this field. It is based on information gathered in large-scale research of monuments with art historical and archaeometric research methods. The project focuses on the stucco decoration of monuments which were built or decorated between the 11th and 14th centuries (Seljuq and Ilkhanid periods). This is supplemented with glazed tiles as another important element of decoration in a number of monuments. The principal aim of the research project is to provide an understanding of the aesthetics of architectural decoration in the Seljuq and Ilkhanid periods. Assuming that these architectural revetments were not simply intended as an adornment, it is postulated that they functioned to highlight selected architectural elements and spaces in a specific manner, thus bolstering the devotional significance of architectural spaces. Characteristics of function, meaning and artistic methods of architectural revetments determined the aesthetics of architectural decoration. Traditions in which artists and craftsmen had grown up as well as their ability to innovate contributed to the creation of architectural decoration. This elicits questions about the hierarchies of different media and materials, about the relations between aesthetics, functions and patronage of architectural revetments, and particularly about the methods and techniques that artisans used to design and execute architectural decoration. Buildings located in different regions of Iran were examined with a focus on material and aesthetic features of (mainly interior) architectural revetments. Field research of monuments comprised detailed documentation connected with studies of historical contexts of c. one hundred monuments, and the collecting of samples from c. fifty buildings in order to identify properties of stucco and pigmentation. Results of archaeometric analyses were collated with epigraphic and historiographic material in order to assess their historical context as well as aesthetic characteristics. The project enables a more comprehensive understanding of architectural decoration in medieval Iran. The interdisciplinary approach can help to bridge gaps between archaeology, cultural heritage conservation and the history of art. This way, regional characteristics of stucco production, possible characteristics and mobility of stucco workshops, and provenance of materials will be better understood. On this basis, questions regarding function, aesthetics and meaning of stuccos, tiles and wall paintings are being discussed. Ultimately, evidence for the dating of undated decorative stuccos can also be provided. The research has the potential to be applied in the preservation of ruined or severely endangered monuments.
Publications
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Lost and Found: The Ilkhanid Tiles of the Pir-i Bakran Mausoleum (Linjan, Isfahan). Iran, 61(2), 235-254.
Grbanovic, Ana Marija
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On the Origins of the Shrine of ‘Abd al-Samad in Natanz: The Case for a Revised Chronology. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 32(3), 501-534.
McCLARY, RICHARD & GRBANOVIC, ANA MARIJA
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“In Memoriam Hasankeyf: Some Remarks Regarding the Stuccos of Hasankeyf Monuments,” accepted for: Michelina di Cesare (ed.): Beiträge zur Islamischen Kunstgeschichte und Archäologie (Proceedings of the 16th Annual Colloquium of the Ernst Herzfeld Society, University La Sapienza, Rome, July 1-3, 2021)
Ana Marija Grbanovic
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Ilkhanid Stucco Revetments in Iran, c. 1256-1335 : Function, Meaning and Aesthetic Principles. Universitatsbibliothek Bamberg.
Grbanovic, Ana Marija
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“Henry Viollet’s Photographic Documentation of Ilkhanid Stucco Revetments in Iran and its Significance for Art Historical Research,” accepted for: Sandra Aube und Martina Massullo (eds.): Proceedings of the Conference Through the Lens of Henry Viollet: Islamic Monuments through an Undisclosed Archival Material (1904-1913) CNRS und BULAC, Paris, June 23, 2022
Ana Marija Grbanovic
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“Reconsidering the so-called Madrasa-i Niẓāmīyya of Ḫargird: New Evidence of Iran's Earliest Ayvān-Mosques”, accepted for: Sandra Aube und Martina Massullo (eds.): Proceedings of the Conference Through the Lens of Henry Viollet: Islamic Monuments through an Undisclosed Archival Material (1904-1913) CNRS und BULAC, Paris, June 23, 2022
Iman Aghajani
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“The Öljeitü Mihrab (1310; Isfahan): the Ilkhanid Stucco Chef-d’œuvre Re-Examined,” in: Markus Ritter and Nourane Ben Azzouna (eds.): Beiträge zur Islamischen Kunst und Archäologie 8, Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 2023, pp. 177-196.
Ana Marija Grbanovic
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Advanced materials engineering in historical gypsum plaster formulations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(7).
Mishmastnehi, Moslem; Van Driessche, Alexander E. S.; Smales, Glen J.; Moya, Alicia & Stawski, Tomasz M.
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Between Tradition and Innovation: the Art of Ilkhanid Stucco Revetments in Iran. Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 763-778. Harrassowitz Verlag.
Grbanovic, Ana Marija
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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Carved Letters, Designs and Ornaments: Ilkhanid Stuccos and the ‘Signatures’ of their Craftsmen. Inscriptions of the Medieval Islamic World, 642-670. Edinburgh University Press.
Grbanovic, Ana Marija
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Imāmzāda ‘Abdallāh at Kūdzar, Iran: New Insights Regarding its Architectural Revetments. Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 819-836. Harrassowitz Verlag.
Aghajani, Iman; Moeini, Maryam & Mishmastnehi, Moslem
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Colourants on the Persian architectural decorations from the 11th to the 15th century. Archaeometry, 66(3), 600-617.
Holakooei, Parviz & Karimy, Amir‐Hossein
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN Towards a Comprehension of Ilkhanid Stucco Style(s). Stucco in the Islamic World, 284-308. Edinburgh University Press.
Grbanovic, Ana Marija
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Stucco of the Seljuq Period in Iran, with a Focus on Dado Zones and Mihrabs. Stucco in the Islamic World, 197-222. Edinburgh University Press.
Aghajani, Iman & Korn, Lorenz
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The Friday Mosque of Faryūmad and its Inscriptions: Evidence of Construction Activity during the Era of the Mongol Khans in Iran. Iran, 63(2), 278-315.
Aghajani, Iman
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Unveiling the craftsmanship and knowledge behind Iranian stuccoes (11th–14th centuries): New insights from an archaeometric perspective. Journal of Archaeological Science, 177, 106199.
Mishmastnehi, Moslem; Stawski, Tomasz M.; Eftekhari, Negar; Schneider, Kathrin P.; Vaccaro, Carmela; Aghajani, Iman; Grbanovic, Ana Marija & Korn, Lorenz
