Analysis of the painting of the Ascension of the Prophet (PBUH) from the Zand and Qajar periods, emphasizing Hossein Nasr's view on religious art

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Painting Department, Faculty of Art, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

2 PhD student, Department of the Art Research, Faculty of Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

3 PhD student in Comparative History and Analysis of Islamic Art, Faculty of Theoretical Sciences and Advanced Studies in Art, University of Art, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Islamic works of the Ascension are not merely a narrative of a historical event but also a visual allegory of the path to truth. This article analyzes a painting of the Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from the Zand and Qajar periods. In this painting, the Prophet’s body is depicted symbolically and mythologically, and this image is a platform for the crystallization of sacred concepts in traditional art. This research aims to investigate the structural features of the work of the Ascension of the Prophet (PBUH) from the Zand and Qajar periods, considering Hossein Nasr’s view of religious art, and has studied various parts of this work. The question of this research is: How can the motif of the Ascension in the painting of the Ascension from the Zand and Qajar periods be analyzed and described based on Hossein Nasr’s views on religious art? Data was collected from library sources and the research was conducted with a historical approach and in a descriptive-analytical manner by analyzing the work in the context of Hossein Nasr’s view. This research shows that the aforementioned work is an example of Islamic art in the service of spiritual transcendence and esoteric conduct; an art in which the shine is not merely the compound of the Prophet but also a symbol of the connection between heaven and earth.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Historical Researches of Iran and Islam
Volume 19, Issue 37
November 2025
Pages 38-68

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 October 2025
  • Accept Date: 27 October 2025

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