Recognizing the Visual Elements of Line in the Ink on Paper Style of Shafi` `Abbasi in the British Museum

Three single-page drawings mounted in an album signed by Shafi `Abbasi in the style of Ink on paper is the subject of this research. This album is kept in the British Museum. The album contains twenty-eight folios with fifty-five drawings of flowers, plants, insects, and birds, attributed to Shafi` `Abbasi. Iranian artist Shafi` `Abbasi was one of the painters of the Isfahan school, who specialized in painting in the style of flowers and birds.  Before the Isfahan school, color was the main element of Iranian painting but In the Isfahan school, the main element is line drawing. The Safavid capital, which was moved to Isfahan, turned this city into a trade center for all kinds of goods from east to west. The use of painting was no longer confined to the scope of court books layout. Single- page drawings had become popular for different classes; Also, at this time, designs were created for the growing industry of Safavid textile weaving and decorative boxes with lacquered covers. The visual element of line in these works has been investigated by the descriptive-survey method with the help of data from printed books. The research aims to identify the visual elements of lines in the signed drawings of Shafi `Abbasi. The classification of line features in the artist's drawings is proof of the authenticity of other works attributed to him. The results of this research show that all the lines used in the artist's works are curved lines. The line element is based on curved lines and no line has a static character. We have divided the lines into various curves and into five categories in terms of type. These categories include: 1- Symmetrical curved line of a single arc, 2- A curved line along the horizonal or vertical axis with several degrees of curvature, 3- Asymmetric curved line of a single arc, 4- Curved line with wavy arcs, 5- Deep curved line. For each single-page drawing, a single category of curves can be considered, which has caused the creation of various rhythms and patterns. On the edge of the leaves and some flowers, different corners are drawn with elongated or wide curves. These corners are curved in different directions depending on the position. Even the use of this category in drawing insects and other painting decorations is also considered. There is a formal connection between the curved lines of the painting and the calligraphy form in the artist's signature. In terms of quality, the line has variable thicknesses and does not move uniformly. The starting line is thin and delicate, in the next stage, it takes a suitable thickness. This change in line thickness has created a bright shadow and volume in the painting. In the end it has a delicate finish and is separate from the connection to the other line.