In Iran during the Islamic period, wooden arts had an important place among Islamic arts, examples of which are kept in museums and historical centers. One of the most important periods in Iranian art history is the Timurid period. In this period, all kinds of arts progressed and reached a high position. One of the prominent arts of the Timurid era is wood art. One of the other popular arts in the Timurid period was book design. In this period, illustrators had a special position in terms of the power of book illustration. The painting school of this period is known as the Herat school, and among the illustrated works, Baysunghur Shahnameh is considered one of the most perfect examples of the art of this school, and it is of great importance in terms of book design and artistic value.
A work left over from the Timurid period was created in Herat by a group of prominent artists. This version’s illustrations include a collection of wooden tools within their spatial designs. A collection that provides the audience with important information about Timurid-era wooden arts in Herat city. The abundance of wooden art in the paintings of the Baysunghur Shahnameh shows the prosperity of these arts in Herat during the Timurid period.
This research aims to identify and analyze the position of wooden art in the illustrated version of Baysunghur Shahnameh. This research examines the frequency and use of wooden works in paintings, distinguishing them from other forms, and their significance within the broader context of artistic works. This article employs a descriptive and analytical research method with a library data collection approach. The wooden works drawn in the spatialization of the paintings include royal thrones, chairs, doors and windows, fences, coffins, caskets, musical instruments, and spinning and weaving machines. The recognition of these works in the paintings initially relied on their use, followed by an analysis of their role and color. Most of these works can be classified under applied arts, and some can be classified as decorative arts due to their artistic decorations. many of these works have been used in the illustration of building elements (such as doors, windows, fences, etc.) and some others have been illustrated on other objects (such as beds, chairs, tables, musical instruments).