Consistency and Transformation: Reconsidering Islamic Art

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to study the transformation of the images as time and space change. To this end, I have selected a scepter (in the form of royal scarf or rectangular shape of cotton or fly whisk), a symbol of ancient royal authority, to examine how its character and shape was changed iconographically as it flowed into India through Persia and Central Asia. To solve this purpose, I assumed the following research scope. First, I checked several books on Persian and Central Asian Paintings. Second, I researched the paintings depicted Mughal kings: Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehanghir, and Shah Jahan. For Babur, I looked at two Baburnama manuscripts. One is in the National Museum of India, New Delhi and second is in the State Museum of Oriental Culture, Moscow. For Akbar, I checked two Akbarnama manuscripts. One is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and second is Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. Regarding Jehangir and Shah Jahan, I have gone through several books on Mughal Paintings including Padshanama. Through this study, I came to the following conclusion. The form of scepter, which began in Persia, became a completely changed form in India. In the Persian and Central Asian Paintings, it was depicted in the form of a royal scarf. However, if we look at paintings depicting the Akbar period, we can hardly find paintings depicting royal scarfs. Instead, the fly whisk or rectangular shape of cotton, which symbolized royal authority in India, began to replace royal scarfs. The image that symbolizes power and royal authority changes in its form once again in Jehangir period. Images introduced to symbolize royal authority include orbs and halos. Scepter, which originated in Persia to symbolize royal authority, changed its shape to royal scarf in medieval Persian and Central Asian paintings, and to regular shape of cotton and fly whisk in India. However, the essence of the royal authority has not changed.