Journal of Socio-Cultural Studies of Khorasan

Journal of Socio-Cultural Studies of Khorasan

Matching text and image in a selection of illustrations from the illustrated version of Khavaran Nameh (kept in the Golestan Palace-Museum

Authors
Fatemeh Nakhaei 1
mohamad amin hajizadeh 2
maryam aziminezhad 3
1 Master's degree student in Islamic Art, Birjand University, Birjand, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor,, Carpet Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
3 Assistant Professor.Handicrafts Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
10.22034/fakh.2026.590897.1804
Abstract
Introduction
The Khavaran Nameh, a religio-epic masnavi composed by Ibn Ḥusam Khusfī in the 9th/15th century, represents a valuable exemplar of this text‑image interaction. Inspired by Firdawsi’s Shahname and imbued with Shiei content, the work poetically recounts the heroic deeds of Imam ʿAli (pbuh) and his companions. The significance of the Khavaran Nameh lies not only in its literary and doctrinal dimensions but also in its illustrated manuscripts, which visually reflect religious and epic themes. The present research aims to analyse and juxtapose the text of the Khavaran Nameh with selected miniatures from this copy, investigating how epic and religious concepts are visually represented. To this end, three paintings from the manuscript are evaluated in terms of narrative content, pictorial structure, and their correspondence with the verses of the original poem, in order to assess the degree of text‑image concordance in the said copy. A comparative study of text and image in illustrated works enables an inquiry into the visual re‑creation of literary themes and an analysis of the artists’ stylistic devices, thereby underscoring the role of miniature painting in conveying meanings and fostering a dialogue between art and literature. Accordingly, this research pursues two objectives: (1) to examine the text‑image relationship in the illustrated Khavaran Nameh (the copy preserved at the Golestan Palace Museum), and (2) to identify the modes of representing literary concepts through visual means. It thus addresses the following question: How is the correspondence between text and image achieved in the miniatures of this illustrated copy?

Methods
The present study is fundamental in nature, conducted through a descriptive‑analytical method with a comparative approach, and its data have been gathered via documentary research. The research corpus comprises 15 miniatures from the illustrated Khavaran Nameh, which have been qualitatively analysed and compared; the results of three selected paintings are presented in the main body, while the remaining cases are assessed in the appended tables.

Results
An examination of the miniatures in the illustrated Khavaran Nameh reveals that Imām ʿAlī (pbuh)—as the central protagonist of the narrative—constitutes the most pivotal element shaping the pictorial structure of the work. In the majority of the paintings, the compositional arrangement, the positioning of figures, the directional flow of events, and the symbolic depiction of the Imām are all orchestrated so as to direct the viewer’s gaze toward him. This indicates that the illustrator, much like the poet, endeavoured to sustain and visually project the pre‑eminent status of Imām ʿAlī as the principal hero of the story. His presence across most miniatures—whether in battle scenes or in non‑combative gatherings and events—underscores his central role in organising the visual narrative. Through devices such as a central placement, larger figural scale, the orientation of glances and movements of other characters, and the use of visual markers like a fiery halo, the painter emphasises the Imām’s prominence and sanctity. These features enable the paintings not only to narrate events but also to reflect the spiritual and heroic stature of Imām ʿAlī. Conversely, regarding the forces of evil (the enemy), the majority of the examined samples display pictorial characteristics that highlight the painter’s emphasis on the triumph of good forces (Imām ʿAlī and his companions) over evil forces (the adversaries) through a narrative‑visual antithesis. Furthermore, in most instances, the visual‑narrative space is situated within the battlefield.

Discussion and Conclusion
Concerning the degree to which the painter adheres to the verses of the Khavaran Nameh, the analysis of the miniatures indicates:
· Character‑text correspondence is achieved to a considerable extent, primarily focusing on the visual representation of the attributes of Imām ʿAlī and his companions.
· Action‑text correspondence is realised at the highest possible level, with the painter referencing the majority of the concepts contained in the poem.
Space‑text correspondence has also received considerable attention, and, within the constraints of pictorial exigencies, a relatively complete visual rendering of the setting has been achieved.
· The overall correspondence between image and text within the studied corpus demonstrates a maximal adherence of the visual elements to the literary content, indicating the painter's fidelity to the verses of the Khavaran Nameh—to the extent that the majority of concepts alluded to by the poet are visually articulated. Nevertheless, the painter has exercised creative liberty in rendering scene details, selecting the visual perspective, and choosing the narrative point of view.
In sum, the findings of the present research indicate that the miniatures of the Khavaran Nameh, through a measured integration of narrative elements, complementary components, and epic motifs, have succeeded in presenting a coherent visualisation of the story; while remaining faithful to the text, they simultaneously demonstrate the expressive capacities of Persian miniature painting.
Keywords
Illustration
Khavarannameh
Hazrat Ali (AS)
Text-Image Matching
Subjects
Ahmad Birjandi, Ahmad., Salek, Muhammad Taqi. (2023). The Court of Muhammad Ibn Husam khoosfi. Second edition. Tehran: farabker publications. [In Persian]
Ahmadi, Mana., Aziz Yusufkand, Alireza., Masroor ,Shilan .(2019). Review of the correspondence of the Shiraz school with emphasis on the book of the Orientals. Bimonthly specialized scientific journal of research in the arts and specialized Sciences. 3(17). 63-72. [In Persian]
Bidokhti, Fatemeh., Vaezi, Murad Ali. (2013) The east of the letter of Ibn Husam Khoosfi in the scope of religious and historical epics. The Journal of cultural and social studies of Khorasan. 7(26). 37-58. [In Persian]
Kalate Salehi, Mitra. (2014). Review of the Oriental edition of the preserved Khavaran nameh at the Gulistan Museum of Tehran in the Shiraz School of journalism. The magazine of Chideman. 8(7). 70-75. [In Persian]
Khoosfi Birjandi, Ibn Husam. (2002). Khavaran nameh of Ibn Husam khoosfi birjandi, paintings and talents of Farhad painter of the ninth century AH. First edition, Tehran: printing and publishing organization of the Ministry of culture and Islamic Guidance. [In Persian]
Khoshkenar, Heydar Ali. (1997). Correction of the Khavaran nameh. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Ferdowsi. Mashhad. Iran. [In Persian]
Khwandamir, Ghiyāth al-Dīn ibn Humām al-Dīn. (1983). The History of the Beloved of Biographies Concerning the Accounts of Individuals of Mankind. With an introduction by Homaei. Tehran: published by Mohammad Dabir Siaqi. [In Persian]
Memarzadeh, Mohammad. (2011). Khavaran nameh from the point of view of calligraphy with emphasis on the factors influencing the formation of the artwork and the analysis of its symbols. Journal of Khorasan Social Cultural Studies. 5(3). 162-177. [In Persian]
Mirzaei, Abdullah., Riki, Nasima. (2022). The ideological function of the Oriental views of the Shiraz school letter relying on the ideological theory of Louis altuser. The Journal of Islamic Art. 9(23).165-179 [In Persian]
Moradi, Hamid Allah. (1999). Correction of the Khavaran nameh. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Ferdowsi. Mashhad. Iran. [In Persian]
Pakbaz, Rouein. (2004). Iranian painting from ancient times to the present day. Third edition. Tehran: Zarin and Simin publications. [In Persian]
Roushenas, Mohammad Omid. (2016). Painting in Iran. First edition. Tehran: Office of cultural research. [In Persian]
Shamisa, Cyrus. (2002). Familiarity with weddings and rhymes. Eighteenth edition. Tehran: Paradise publications. [In Persian]
Shariat, Zahra., Zeynali, Leyla. (2009). National religious epic effects in the orientalists Khavaran nameh of the Shiraz school. The scientific-research journal of Islamic art studies, 6(10). 43-58. [In Persian]

  • Receive Date 11 July 2026
  • Revise Date 30 July 2026
  • Accept Date 15 August 2026