Medieval Wall Paintings in Iran, 10-14th centuries. Art Historical Research of Vanishing Cultural Heritage

• Applicant: Ana Marija Grbanovic
• Subject Area: Art History ; Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies ; Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 522740621

Wall paintings were a widespread decorative medium for religious and secular monuments in 10-14th centuries, in the territory of Iran and the neighbouring lands, together with carved stuccos, applied moulded and stencilled stuccos and tiles. Removal of tiles to Western collections and their accessibility to scholars enabled their research from an early point. Recent years witnessed an intense scholarly interest in carved stucco medium. However, wall paintings of Medieval Iran lack a systematic art historical study which would determine their understanding and prompt conservation interventions on this art medium worthy of research, documentation and preservation. The proposed project accordingly focuses on some twenty-four wall painting programmes from monuments in diverse regions of Iran and a wide chronological span covering approximately five centuries. The project is interdisciplinary and it encompasses four main disciplines: studies of artistic technology, history of art and aesthetics, preservation and conservation of cultural heritage and social history. This approach enables for a thorough comprehension of the subject, provides reasons indicating why and how the wall paintings should be preserved and it proposes finds of interest for other disciplines such as sociology, social history and anthropology. For example, epigraphic programmes and visual features of wall paintings reflect the religious and social characteristics of the society in which they were produced. Furthermore, research of wall painting medium has the potential to provide information regarding the craftsmen who produced them: composition of craftsmen’s workshops, craftsmen’s identity and mobility routes for production of wall paintings. Wall paintings are also interesting for studies of history of religion, social status of artists who made wall paintings and patrons who sponsored their production and construction of monuments with decorative repertoires in wall painting pertain. This innovative art historical research of wall paintings in Medieval Iran is first of its kind in terms of geographical and chronological scope and use of innovative research approach designed within the limits of the size of the project. This research project draws on research methodology which has been developed during the applicant’s PhD research of 13-14th century stucco decorations in Ilkhanid Iran. The research of wall painting project is therefore based on experience of field research in Iran and with research methodology which proved to be successful for research of a related and yet distinct decorative medium of Iranian Medieval architecture. Gathered experience of research approach and methodology for research of carved stuccos have been further improved and upgraded for the proposed research of wall paintings.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Marianne Roswitha Tauber