What do we know about figurative fabrics other than that Iranian weavers imitated the miniaturists of their era? Since the 1930s, it has been generally accepted that compositions of precious fabrics have repeated the miniature with more or less success The only problem is to determine the source of copying and the degree of processing by the master weaver. However, is everything so simple in Safavid art? The first appearance of human images on clothing in Iran dates back to the Parthian period (III century BC - III century AD).The tradition was actively developed under the Sassanids (III-VII centuries). During this era, fabrics were created depicting the hunting feat of Prince Bahram-Gur in a symmetrical heraldic composition in round medallions, characteristic of all Sasanian art. The production of such fabrics continued for some time after the Arab conquest (VII century), but gradually fell into disrepair. The return to clothing of the pattern with the image of a person occurred only in the XVI century, after several centuries of oblivion. At the same time, the art of weavers reached unprecedented heights. The compositions lost their former stiffness, heraldic immobility. Now the action was transmitted to the fabric with a lot of details and minor details. The medallion formation gave way to a continuous rhythm of fluctuating movement. The illusory nature of the drawing replaced the schematic convention of the Sasanian figures. The range of subjects used has greatly expanded. Traditionally, one of the most conservative and inert crafts in its development - textile production-suddenly began to demonstrate incredible mobility. Weavers began to master new patterns, instantly following modern artistic achievements. And all this despite the fact that the location of the main weaving centers that emerged in the medieval era, such as Yazd and Kashan, did not coincide with the capitals of this time. The Safavid rulers created a well-established production system: court art ... Read more