Rhymed Signature (its religious and social significance)

One of the most significant factors in Safavid painting is the Europeanizing style (Farangi Sazi). All artists in later Safavid, Afsharid and Zand periods employed European techniques and in some cases they have viewed their European sources and copied or adapted European prototypes. However, they also painted portraits of Persian, such as that of a prince and a lady. Even at the more commercial end of the market and religious problems, the artists followed the Europeanizing trend. The significant development in the area of painting during the second half of the eleventh century H. was the expanded repertoire of lacquer objects. Europeanizing painters produced lacquer penboxes, mirror-covers, caskets and bindings. In these objects, individual subjects such as flowers and birds combined with floral decoration on one surface and related motifs on the sides and interior can be seen. The Safavid effectively lost power in 1135 H. Nadir by 1150 H. had so successfully re-established control over Iran. Forms and Formulas already developed in the Safavid period especially by the eclectic painters and their families and followers are the principal manifestation in painting following this period. In the absence of orders to the contrary, artists worked to the variant medium. This surely accounts for quantities of painted and lacquered papier mache of the period, the book bindings mirrorcases, caskets, boxes, and especially pen boxes. On these objects, themes and compositions from Safavid period were used and copied in numerable times. In 1148 H. a lacquered binding decorated with flowers was commissioned by Muhammad Mehdi-khan Astarabadi, private secretary and historian of Nadir shah. This Muraqa ^,(album) is work of four painters and artists. These artists were: Ali Ashraf, Muhammad Hadi, Muhammad Baqir and Muhammad Sadiq. This album was finally completed in the Zand period. Rhymed signature presents distinctive characteristics of this Muraqa(album). All artists in Afshar and Zand periods had multiple signatures. Familial and apprenticeship or student-teacher relationships are inferred from the numerous artists^, signatures. The signatures also provide some biographical facts not available in the art books. Additional information can be gathered from these signatures. This method descends to artistic life in social and religious sphere. And this method provides us with the basic style of artists transmitted from one generation to another. The use of rhymed signature, introduced during the Safavid period, remained current until the mid-nineteenth century. Sadiq’s works are signed, in a compact Naskh script, with his proper name Muhammad Sadiq, or with formula »Ya Sadiq al-vad« (O thou who are true) referring to Jafar Sadiq, the sixth Imam. This inscription exhibits the same form and style of signature found in Sadiq’s works. We know that Muhammad Sadiq was disciple of Ali Ashraf, and his rhymed signature:» Sadiq A lotf-i Ali Ashraf bood«  signify this disciple relationship with religious significance. Another example of these signature was » Ya Sahib al-Zaman« (o lord of time), may be by Aqa Zaman another painter of Karim Khan Zand period. Understanding and transmission mechanism of these signatures is a point discussed in the current article.