From Miniature Painting to Landscape: A Semiotic Interpretation of the Representation of Architectural Space and Urban Landscape in Kamāl al-Dīn Behzād’s “A Beggar at the Door of the Mosque

Abstract

Persian miniature painting, particularly the masterpieces of the Timurid Herat school, represents not merely a visual depiction of historical narratives but also a complex semiotic system in which architectural elements, human figures, colors, ornaments, and compositional structures contribute to the production of meaning. Considering Herat as one of the most significant cultural and artistic centers of the Timurid period and the prominent role of Kamāl al-Dīn Behzād in the development of Persian miniature painting, this study aims to explain the representation of architectural space and urban landscape in the miniature “A Beggar at the Door of the Mosque” and to interpret its semantic layers based on Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic theory. The research adopts a qualitative approach using descriptive–analytical methods. First, the theoretical foundations of Peirce’s semiotics, including icon, index, and symbol, are examined. Subsequently, the selected miniature is analyzed according to the spatial components influencing architectural representation in the Herat school, including the structure and characteristics of human figures, architectural features, ornamental elements, color systems, and compositional organization. The findings reveal that “A Beggar at the Door of the Mosque” possesses a multilayered spatial structure in which the architectural elements of the mosque, human interactions, and visual details function not only as physical components but also as carriers of symbolic and cultural meanings. The results demonstrate that Behzād, through the integration of geometric spatial organization, architectural representations, and visual symbols, established a meaningful relationship between the architectural realities of the Timurid period, religious concepts, and the viewer’s spatial experience. This study emphasizes the significance of semiotic interpretation of Persian miniatures as valuable spatial and cultural documents in architectural and landscape studies.