Comparative Analysis of the Semantic Parallels of Islamic Iconography in Tabriz and Mughal Miniatures
Sabina Namazova
Abstract. Although Islamic miniature painting developed on the basis of shared religious and aesthetic principles across different geographical regions, it acquired distinct visual and semantic characteristics under the influence of local political, cultural, and ideological contexts. This article presents a comparative semantic analysis of the principal motifs of Islamic iconography in the Tabriz and Mughal schools of miniature painting. The study aims to identify the semantic layers embedded in the shared iconographic elements of these two artistic traditions and to demonstrate how their meanings were transformed within specific historical and cultural settings. The research is based on comparative-historical, iconographic, semantic, and visual analytical methods. The findings indicate that, while both schools preserved the fundamental components of the Islamic visual tradition, the semantic functions of these motifs evolved in response to differing ideological environments. In Tabriz miniatures, these motifs are predominantly associated with metaphysical concepts, Sufi aesthetics, and Shiʿi symbolism. In contrast, within Mughal painting they were reinterpreted through the lens of imperial ideology, courtly culture, and the multicultural environment of the Indian subcontinent, thereby acquiring new semantic dimensions. The findings demonstrate that the study of Islamic miniature painting should extend beyond stylistic analysis to encompass its semantic and symbolic structures, highlighting the importance of comparative art historical approaches for a more comprehensive understanding of this artistic tradition.
Keywords: Tabriz School of Miniature Painting, Mughal School of Miniature Painting, Islamic iconography, semantic parallels, Mirāj, visual symbolism