Islamic Perspectives on God and (Other) Monotheism(s)

The ISBN is 978-1-915550-05-7 (hardback) and 978-1-915550-06-4 (paperback).

FROM MANUSCRIPT TO CARPET: THE TALKING TREE MOTIF IN THE SERVICE OF SAFAVID SUFI DISCOURSE

The presentation will highlight the formal and conceptual interrelations among two inscribed grave rugs (preserved in Lisbon, Gulbenkian Museum, Inv. T113; and Cincinnati, Cincinnati Art Museum, Inv. 1953.24); three dispersed illuminated folios of Jāmī’s Yusuf va Zuleykhā and Sa’dī’s Būstān (introduced by Christie’s, 2012 Live Auction 6537; and 2010 Live Auction 7871); and an illustrated manuscript of Niẓāmī’s Khamseh (Hazine 788), all attributed to Safavid workshops. Central to this exploration is the motif of the Talking Tree, which emerges as a dominant visual element across these works.

The discussion will focus on how this decorative motif, the literature, and the woven words interact, and how the motif evolves into a symbol that serves the Sufi discourse within the Safavid Shi’i context.

Register here.

An online exhibition, exhibition catalog, and academic edited volume in one, this website offers an alternative museological space for exploring the Emamzadeh Yahya shrine complex’s many looks, functions, resonances, and stories over the last 700 years. The mirrored website in English and Persian includes six thematic galleries and about 70 contributions in various formats, including essays, films, digital interactives, and catalog entries. About 20% of the multilingual contents (English, Persian, and French) is available in translation. At the time of launch in January 2025, the website was about 90% complete.

The primary mission of the Emamzadeh Yahya Project is to increase awareness and understanding of the shrine complex and its dispersed tiles, collections, and archives, without pursuing commercial, political, or institutional objectives. Through our interdisciplinary collaborations and diverse modes of presentation, we chart an alternative course for how research is conducted and shared across disciplines, languages, and audiences. Through our curatorial interventions, we seek a more balanced and inclusive museological space for experiencing and exhibiting Persian art. Through our holistic study of one relatively small site, we offer a general exploration of Persian art and Iranian culture from the medieval period to the present.

The Emamzadeh Yahya Project is an independent research initiative created and governed by individuals beyond institutions. Directed by Keelan Overton since 2021, it has involved a research team dedicated to the shrine, a production team responsible for the website and academic publication within, and a cast of over 40 contributors worldwide. The website is an independent production of 33 Arches, is hosted by Khamseen: Islamic Art History Online, and has been partially supported by academic grants.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmamzadehYahyaProject2025

This book launch will also be streamed on Ismaili TV. Tune in at 20.15 GMT.