Dissertation by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Papers by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Carved stucco is the architectural revetment medium par excellence in Iran; its history began in ... more Carved stucco is the architectural revetment medium par excellence in Iran; its history began in Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian times, gained paramount significance in the Early Islamic, Seljuq and Ilkhanid periods and experienced a revival under the Safavids and Qajars. However, divides between pre-Islamic and Islamic archaeology, dynastic divisions and the Mongol conquest theory distort this trajectory. This study of c. fifty Ilkhanid stucco repertoires proposes a taxonomy of Ilkhanid stucco artistic techniques, based on the scrutiny of production technology, polychromy, inscriptions and ornamentation. It sheds light on the transfer of stucco production knowledge between pre-Ilkhanid and Ilkhanid periods. Ilkhanid craftsmen inherited millenary stucco craftsmanship practices, to which they contributed technical and artistic innovations: new artistic techniques, polychromy development, modified aesthetics, and new epigraphic and ornamental vocabulary. These finds enhance our understanding of Iranian stuccos.
Beiträge zur Islamischen Kunst und Archäologie 8, 2022
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Series 3, 2021
This article proposes a re-examination of the phases of construction and decoration at the shrine... more This article proposes a re-examination of the phases of construction and decoration at the shrine of ‘Abd al-Samad in Natanz and demonstrates that the core fabric and elements of architectural revetments of the shrine are datable to the Seljuq period (431-590/1040-1194), or slightly later. The structure was repurposed and redecorated, including the addition of extensive lustre tiles and stucco, for ‘Abd al-Samad by Zayn al-Din al-Mastari in the early years of the fourteenth century in a series of separate phases. Particular attention is focused on the nature of the original decoration of the shrine, revealed beneath the mortar which held the, now largely removed, Ilkhanid tilework in place. Scrutiny of the decorative interventions illustrates that the application of lustre revetments in the shrine also determined a major change of the function of the monument, from a simple burial structure into a pilgrimage centre in its own right.
Iran Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies
The mausoleum of Pir-i Bakran (1298–1313) is an exceptional Ilkhanid monument, which exemplifies ... more The mausoleum of Pir-i Bakran (1298–1313) is an exceptional Ilkhanid monument, which exemplifies different types of architectural decoration. These rich and exuberant revetments have been subject to extensive research: scholarly concern with the mausoleum focused on the distinctions between the monument's numerous constructive and decorative phases and its stuccos, wall paintings, and applied stuccos. However, the mausoleum was originally also decorated with tiles in lustre, moulded and glazed, Lajvardina and glazed media, which were removed from the mausoleum at an early stage. This paper dedicates its attention to this less well-studied aspect of the monument: art history research and work in museum collections support the suggestion that tiles (in lustre, moulded and glazed, Lajvardina and glazed media) in museum collections, may originate from the Pir-i Bakran mausoleum. Some of these tiles comprise animate elements (birds, such as cranes and phoenixes), which require an explanation of their meaning within the religious and funerary structure contexts. The Pir-i Bakran mausoleum appears to be one of the most southerly, though not the most remote, monuments with revetments containing animate imagery and lustre tile decoration. The research provides a new insight into the circulation of ideas and artistic exchange within the Iranian plateau.
Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Volume 2, 2020
This article contributes new knowledge regarding Ilkhanid stuccos through a reinterpretation of t... more This article contributes new knowledge regarding Ilkhanid stuccos through a reinterpretation of the mobility and identity of stucco craftsmen. It draws on examinations of Iranian stuccos in situ, scrutiny of their production techniques and analysis of craftsmen’s signatures;
it reaches beyond stylistic comparison which has viewed stucco workshops as regionally confined. Stucco art is a separate artistic profession with closer ties to terracotta and wall paintings than to metals, ceramics or manuscripts. Stuccos were designed, carved
and rendered polychrome by specifically trained stucco craftsmen, and subsequently signed by stucco masters. The role of paper in Ilkhanid stucco revetment design was limited and depended on the approach to stucco production chosen by craftsmen. Regional distribution of architectural revetment techniques illustrates short and long distance workshop mobility, which transcends the boundaries of regional schools.
The Pir-i Bakran mausoleum (completed by 1312–13; Linjan, Isfahan) is considered to be a typical ... more The Pir-i Bakran mausoleum (completed by 1312–13; Linjan, Isfahan) is considered to be a typical example of exuberant Ilkhanid architectural decoration. In the 1970s, the International Association of Mediterranean and Oriental Studies (IsMEO) undertook significant research and restoration work on the mausoleum. After their efforts were interrupted by the onset of the Iranian Revolution, restoration activities were continued by the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization. Almost four decades later, questions concerning the mausoleum’s history, function, decorative program, patronage, and craftsmen—as well as the identity of the deceased—nonetheless remain unresolved. The mausoleum’s tile and original polychrome stucco decoration also require further scholarly attention.
This article proposes a new view of the mausoleum’s decorative aesthetic and contributes to our understanding of the Ilkhanid architectural legacy. The article argues that, rather than being a haphazard application, the aesthetic characteristics of Pir-i Bakran’s revetments were determined by multiple undertakings executed according to specific decorative principles. Moreover, the mausoleum’s decorative program illustrates a rapid change in Ilkhanid decorative principles and aesthetics. I also propose a hypothetical timeline of mausoleum’s constructive and decorative undertakings, and reconsider its function and political significance.
Preserving Transcultural Heritage: Your Way or My Way? Questions on Authenticity, Identity and Patrimonial Proceedings in the Safeguarding of Architectural Heritage Created in the Meeting of Cultures, 2017
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the religious structures constructed during the golden period of ... more ABSTRACT
This paper examines the religious structures constructed during the golden period of the Ilkhanid architectural patronage, around 1300, in Central Iran. These structures reflect the cosmopolitan character of the golden age of the Ilkhanid architectural proliferation, marked by the reigns of Ghazan Khan (r. 1295-1304) and Oljeitu (r. 1304-1316). It aims to contribute towards a reappraisal of the value of these monuments and to shed light on the issues surrounding the architectural heritage preservation of the Silk Routes. The paper discusses the history of restoration interventions on these structures and debates the challenges regarding the preservation of Ilkhanid and Islamic stucco revetment in situ.
Kolloquium Forschende Frauen 2018: Beiträge Bamberger Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen / hg. von Ute Franz und Iris Hermann., 2019
This article comprises architectural discussion of 16th century Ottoman
mosques in Bosnia-Herzego... more This article comprises architectural discussion of 16th century Ottoman
mosques in Bosnia-Herzegovina in socio-political context as determined
by the historical relations between the Dubrovnik Republic (Republic of
Ragusa) and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It provides discussion of mobility and
identity of their builders and craftsmen in order to pinpoint mechanisms
behind the patronage of Ottoman mosques and their construction. The research begins with an introductory background and discussion of a selection of mosques based on analysis of their pre and post war documentation and their art historical examination. Analysis of architectural structures with a focus on mosque minarets leads towards establishing relations between mosques and examination of their builders and their politically and culturally significant trans-regional mobility. The paper employs different sources, among which: field research of monuments, archival photographic documentation analysis, art historical discussion, primary written sources use and inquiry in documented regional migration of builders and stonemasons. The research finds propose a contextualised understanding of Bosnian Ottoman architecture, information on craftsmen and builders’ migration and sociopolitical significance of architectural patronage. In doing so, the paper begins to fill one of the gaps in the understanding of Ottoman architectural heritage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was additionally distorted in the period following the armed conflict, which determined the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and during the subsequent nation building movements.
Zeitschrift für digitale Geisteswissenschaften, 2018
See also: Conference Papers
Talks by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Guest Lecture, 2024
The Ilkhanid (1256-1335) material culture reflects the flourishing of arts, which reached its zen... more The Ilkhanid (1256-1335) material culture reflects the flourishing of arts, which reached its zenith during the Golden Age of the Empire (the reigns of Ghazan Khan r. 1295-1304 and Uljaytu r. 1304-1316). The surviving masterpieces, book, metal, textile, ceramic and jewellery art, have been subject to scholarly debate, but a considerably lesser attention has been paid to studies of Ilkhanid architecture and its architectural revetments such as wall painting, stucco and tile media. This lecture is accordingly dedicated to one of the most obscure aspects of Ilkhanid architecture: stucco, the par excellence medium of architectural decoration. It proposes detailed information concerning the stucco artistic techniques, colouring principles, production technology, their function and decorative principles. It also explores the identity and the mobility of stucco craftsmen as well as the creative impetus behind their production, paying particularly attention to its meaning in order to ultimately shed more light on the aesthetics of Ilkhanid stucco revetments. The lecture builds on extensive field research for documentation of Ilkhanid monuments in Iran and the neighbouring territories, which, together with archive investigations and museum collections’ research, provide for its principal sources.
Book Reviews by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Conference Presentations by Ana Marija Grbanovic
This paper explores characteristics of decline and transition in fourteenth century’s Chinggisid ... more This paper explores characteristics of decline and transition in fourteenth century’s Chinggisid Khanates, from an art historical perspective, by examining technological and aesthetic characteristics of architectural decorations on a selected monument corpus in Iran and the neighbouring lands. The period of the Ilkhanid rule in Persia has been defined by historians as lasting between 1256 and 1335. The termination of the Ilkhanid rule in this territory is understood as marked by the death of the last Ilkhanid ruler Abu Sa’id Bahadur Khan in 1335.
This paper explores artistic technology and aesthetics of architectural decorations from the Ilkhanid period and those produced until the early 15th century, in order to comprehend how this scholarly perceived dynastic break reflects itself in the material culture (architectural decorations on monuments) of its time. The paper proposes that architectural decoration production practices and by consequence, their aesthetic appearance, did not cease to be produced with the end of the Ilkhanid dynasty. Quite the contrary, in some regions, such as Qum and Yazd, architectural decorations of what can be understood as typically Ilkhanid carved stuccos, wall paintings, and applied moulded and stencilled stuccos combined with wall paintings, continued to be produced. These architectural decorations were however results of a changed patronage pattern. They were no longer sponsored by those pertaining to the Ilkhanid state apparatus, but by local notables and local rulers of these regions. In sum, these practices contradict the paradigm of proposed immediate decline of the given socio-political and cultural activities.
This paper puts forward some remarks and recommendations of practical and theoretical frameworks,... more This paper puts forward some remarks and recommendations of practical and theoretical frameworks, research methodologies and lines of inquiry, for examination of Mediterranean stuccos, based on research of medieval architectural decorations in the greater Iranian world. These recommendations are based on author’s extensive research of Ilkhanid (1256-1335) carved stuccos for their PhD dissertation, their work on Ilkhanid tiles for a third party funded international research project “Stucco and Tiles,” and the more recent German Research Foundation funded project dedicated to research of Iranian medieval wall paintings from 10th to 14th centuries. Research methodology, lines of inquiry and research frameworks are transferrable between diverse chronological and geographical contexts. Proposed recommendations and remarks therefore assume a specific relevance for the themes addressed in the given conference and can aid future scholars and their research activities.
The paper asks the research question: How can we research art, artists and aesthetics of carved stucco decorations in the Mediterranean area? It is centred on three main themes: production technology and artistic techniques for stucco making, identity and mobility of stucco craftsmen and aesthetics of carved stuccos. It provides remarks and recommendations for research of these aspects of carved Mediterranean stuccos, based on performed PhD research of Ilkhanid stuccos in Iran. Moreover, the paper debates relevance of research of other decorative media (tiles and wall paintings), for better understanding of carved stuccos. More broadly, the paper also addresses the question of definition of a corpus of architectural decorations, based on architectural form, function and meaning of monuments in which these decorations are found, and as conditioned by aesthetics and production technology of these decorations. In doing so, the paper strives to contribute towards an innovative research methodology for a better understanding of Islamic and pre-Islamic stuccos from Spain to Central Asia.
“Lonely and Forlorn? Nakhchivan’s Alinja Khanqah and its Architectural Decorations,” Production, Transmission, & Interpretation, a conference on Islamic Art, Architecture, History, and Archaeology, University of York, March 12-15, 2024. This paper sheds light on architectural decorations and constructive chronology of the little kno... more This paper sheds light on architectural decorations and constructive chronology of the little known Alinja khanqah complex of Shaykh Naimi in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave. The monument received a scanty mention by Bretanitskij and colleagues in 1960s, and its most through discussion by Yazar is from 2007. The monument was recently comprehensively restored and it is thus in a good state of preservation. However, its architectural structure and decorations lack full comprehension. Accordingly, this examination of the khanqah, within a wider geographical and chronological context of medieval Iranian architectural decorations in stucco and tiles, enables a better comprehension of monument’s dating, function, aesthetics and meaning.
This research hypothesizes that khanqah’s two stucco mihrabs in its burial structure should be dated to the early 14th century, and that their production technology was transmitted by itinerant stucco craftsmen’s workshops from the central Iranian territory to this neighbouring region. Further evidence is provided by artistic production technology for mausoleum’s exterior decoration in terracotta and glazed elements. Monument’s structural examination confirmed that the mausoleum predates construction of the mosque. Having attested that mausoleum’s decoration was produced at the time of its construction, this indicates that the mausoleum may have been repurposed for the burial of the Shaykh Naimi following his death in 1394, and that it originally may have been constructed for some other burial. The proposed analysis of transmission of production technology for khanqah’s decorations enables us to re-interpret its function and meaning, thus bringing further-reaching implications for our understanding of Islamic architectural history.
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Dissertation by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Papers by Ana Marija Grbanovic
it reaches beyond stylistic comparison which has viewed stucco workshops as regionally confined. Stucco art is a separate artistic profession with closer ties to terracotta and wall paintings than to metals, ceramics or manuscripts. Stuccos were designed, carved
and rendered polychrome by specifically trained stucco craftsmen, and subsequently signed by stucco masters. The role of paper in Ilkhanid stucco revetment design was limited and depended on the approach to stucco production chosen by craftsmen. Regional distribution of architectural revetment techniques illustrates short and long distance workshop mobility, which transcends the boundaries of regional schools.
This paper examines the religious structures constructed during the golden period of the Ilkhanid architectural patronage, around 1300, in Central Iran. These structures reflect the cosmopolitan character of the golden age of the Ilkhanid architectural proliferation, marked by the reigns of Ghazan Khan (r. 1295-1304) and Oljeitu (r. 1304-1316). It aims to contribute towards a reappraisal of the value of these monuments and to shed light on the issues surrounding the architectural heritage preservation of the Silk Routes. The paper discusses the history of restoration interventions on these structures and debates the challenges regarding the preservation of Ilkhanid and Islamic stucco revetment in situ.
mosques in Bosnia-Herzegovina in socio-political context as determined
by the historical relations between the Dubrovnik Republic (Republic of
Ragusa) and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It provides discussion of mobility and
identity of their builders and craftsmen in order to pinpoint mechanisms
behind the patronage of Ottoman mosques and their construction. The research begins with an introductory background and discussion of a selection of mosques based on analysis of their pre and post war documentation and their art historical examination. Analysis of architectural structures with a focus on mosque minarets leads towards establishing relations between mosques and examination of their builders and their politically and culturally significant trans-regional mobility. The paper employs different sources, among which: field research of monuments, archival photographic documentation analysis, art historical discussion, primary written sources use and inquiry in documented regional migration of builders and stonemasons. The research finds propose a contextualised understanding of Bosnian Ottoman architecture, information on craftsmen and builders’ migration and sociopolitical significance of architectural patronage. In doing so, the paper begins to fill one of the gaps in the understanding of Ottoman architectural heritage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was additionally distorted in the period following the armed conflict, which determined the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and during the subsequent nation building movements.
This entry was written for the Timeline on www.archnet.org
It is available via the following link: http://archnet.org/timelines/48/period/Ilkhanid/year/1272
Talks by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Book Reviews by Ana Marija Grbanovic
Conference Presentations by Ana Marija Grbanovic
This paper explores artistic technology and aesthetics of architectural decorations from the Ilkhanid period and those produced until the early 15th century, in order to comprehend how this scholarly perceived dynastic break reflects itself in the material culture (architectural decorations on monuments) of its time. The paper proposes that architectural decoration production practices and by consequence, their aesthetic appearance, did not cease to be produced with the end of the Ilkhanid dynasty. Quite the contrary, in some regions, such as Qum and Yazd, architectural decorations of what can be understood as typically Ilkhanid carved stuccos, wall paintings, and applied moulded and stencilled stuccos combined with wall paintings, continued to be produced. These architectural decorations were however results of a changed patronage pattern. They were no longer sponsored by those pertaining to the Ilkhanid state apparatus, but by local notables and local rulers of these regions. In sum, these practices contradict the paradigm of proposed immediate decline of the given socio-political and cultural activities.
The paper asks the research question: How can we research art, artists and aesthetics of carved stucco decorations in the Mediterranean area? It is centred on three main themes: production technology and artistic techniques for stucco making, identity and mobility of stucco craftsmen and aesthetics of carved stuccos. It provides remarks and recommendations for research of these aspects of carved Mediterranean stuccos, based on performed PhD research of Ilkhanid stuccos in Iran. Moreover, the paper debates relevance of research of other decorative media (tiles and wall paintings), for better understanding of carved stuccos. More broadly, the paper also addresses the question of definition of a corpus of architectural decorations, based on architectural form, function and meaning of monuments in which these decorations are found, and as conditioned by aesthetics and production technology of these decorations. In doing so, the paper strives to contribute towards an innovative research methodology for a better understanding of Islamic and pre-Islamic stuccos from Spain to Central Asia.
This research hypothesizes that khanqah’s two stucco mihrabs in its burial structure should be dated to the early 14th century, and that their production technology was transmitted by itinerant stucco craftsmen’s workshops from the central Iranian territory to this neighbouring region. Further evidence is provided by artistic production technology for mausoleum’s exterior decoration in terracotta and glazed elements. Monument’s structural examination confirmed that the mausoleum predates construction of the mosque. Having attested that mausoleum’s decoration was produced at the time of its construction, this indicates that the mausoleum may have been repurposed for the burial of the Shaykh Naimi following his death in 1394, and that it originally may have been constructed for some other burial. The proposed analysis of transmission of production technology for khanqah’s decorations enables us to re-interpret its function and meaning, thus bringing further-reaching implications for our understanding of Islamic architectural history.
it reaches beyond stylistic comparison which has viewed stucco workshops as regionally confined. Stucco art is a separate artistic profession with closer ties to terracotta and wall paintings than to metals, ceramics or manuscripts. Stuccos were designed, carved
and rendered polychrome by specifically trained stucco craftsmen, and subsequently signed by stucco masters. The role of paper in Ilkhanid stucco revetment design was limited and depended on the approach to stucco production chosen by craftsmen. Regional distribution of architectural revetment techniques illustrates short and long distance workshop mobility, which transcends the boundaries of regional schools.
This paper examines the religious structures constructed during the golden period of the Ilkhanid architectural patronage, around 1300, in Central Iran. These structures reflect the cosmopolitan character of the golden age of the Ilkhanid architectural proliferation, marked by the reigns of Ghazan Khan (r. 1295-1304) and Oljeitu (r. 1304-1316). It aims to contribute towards a reappraisal of the value of these monuments and to shed light on the issues surrounding the architectural heritage preservation of the Silk Routes. The paper discusses the history of restoration interventions on these structures and debates the challenges regarding the preservation of Ilkhanid and Islamic stucco revetment in situ.
mosques in Bosnia-Herzegovina in socio-political context as determined
by the historical relations between the Dubrovnik Republic (Republic of
Ragusa) and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It provides discussion of mobility and
identity of their builders and craftsmen in order to pinpoint mechanisms
behind the patronage of Ottoman mosques and their construction. The research begins with an introductory background and discussion of a selection of mosques based on analysis of their pre and post war documentation and their art historical examination. Analysis of architectural structures with a focus on mosque minarets leads towards establishing relations between mosques and examination of their builders and their politically and culturally significant trans-regional mobility. The paper employs different sources, among which: field research of monuments, archival photographic documentation analysis, art historical discussion, primary written sources use and inquiry in documented regional migration of builders and stonemasons. The research finds propose a contextualised understanding of Bosnian Ottoman architecture, information on craftsmen and builders’ migration and sociopolitical significance of architectural patronage. In doing so, the paper begins to fill one of the gaps in the understanding of Ottoman architectural heritage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was additionally distorted in the period following the armed conflict, which determined the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and during the subsequent nation building movements.
This entry was written for the Timeline on www.archnet.org
It is available via the following link: http://archnet.org/timelines/48/period/Ilkhanid/year/1272
This paper explores artistic technology and aesthetics of architectural decorations from the Ilkhanid period and those produced until the early 15th century, in order to comprehend how this scholarly perceived dynastic break reflects itself in the material culture (architectural decorations on monuments) of its time. The paper proposes that architectural decoration production practices and by consequence, their aesthetic appearance, did not cease to be produced with the end of the Ilkhanid dynasty. Quite the contrary, in some regions, such as Qum and Yazd, architectural decorations of what can be understood as typically Ilkhanid carved stuccos, wall paintings, and applied moulded and stencilled stuccos combined with wall paintings, continued to be produced. These architectural decorations were however results of a changed patronage pattern. They were no longer sponsored by those pertaining to the Ilkhanid state apparatus, but by local notables and local rulers of these regions. In sum, these practices contradict the paradigm of proposed immediate decline of the given socio-political and cultural activities.
The paper asks the research question: How can we research art, artists and aesthetics of carved stucco decorations in the Mediterranean area? It is centred on three main themes: production technology and artistic techniques for stucco making, identity and mobility of stucco craftsmen and aesthetics of carved stuccos. It provides remarks and recommendations for research of these aspects of carved Mediterranean stuccos, based on performed PhD research of Ilkhanid stuccos in Iran. Moreover, the paper debates relevance of research of other decorative media (tiles and wall paintings), for better understanding of carved stuccos. More broadly, the paper also addresses the question of definition of a corpus of architectural decorations, based on architectural form, function and meaning of monuments in which these decorations are found, and as conditioned by aesthetics and production technology of these decorations. In doing so, the paper strives to contribute towards an innovative research methodology for a better understanding of Islamic and pre-Islamic stuccos from Spain to Central Asia.
This research hypothesizes that khanqah’s two stucco mihrabs in its burial structure should be dated to the early 14th century, and that their production technology was transmitted by itinerant stucco craftsmen’s workshops from the central Iranian territory to this neighbouring region. Further evidence is provided by artistic production technology for mausoleum’s exterior decoration in terracotta and glazed elements. Monument’s structural examination confirmed that the mausoleum predates construction of the mosque. Having attested that mausoleum’s decoration was produced at the time of its construction, this indicates that the mausoleum may have been repurposed for the burial of the Shaykh Naimi following his death in 1394, and that it originally may have been constructed for some other burial. The proposed analysis of transmission of production technology for khanqah’s decorations enables us to re-interpret its function and meaning, thus bringing further-reaching implications for our understanding of Islamic architectural history.