Scientific Journal of Motaleate-e Tatbighi-e Honar

Mirza Ali Qoli Khoie, the famous illustrator of lithographic books of Qajar era, has presented interpretations of Hafiz poetry according to cultural and social needs of his own age in his illustrations. The lithographic Divan-e-Hafiz of 1269 AH is one of the first illustrated ones which was prepared to publish widely. Therefor the discursive positioning of Ali Qoli in this book is very important. This research deals with the question regarding what the discursive positioning of Ali Qoli is in his illustrations for Divan-e-Hafiz and how it was made.

In this regard, 11 ilustraitions of Ali Qoli for Divan-e-Hafiz have been classified into three catagories, and each illustration has been studied according to semiotic approach. Semiotic studies, considering the interactive relationship between the statement-maker and the statement-reader, suggest various functions for images. Some of the semotic aspects in Ali Qoli’s visual discourse have been discussed in this study. The aim of this study is to investigate the interpretations that Ali Qoli presented in his illustrations of Hafiz poetry, which have a social theme according to the nature of Ali Qoli’s work.

Studies indicate Ali Qoli unlike Hafiz is not presenting amphibology and has made a very objective and referential image of the poetry. The result has made and presented a very simple and humanly face for Hafiz. In Ali Qoli’s illustrations, the poems get intelligible according to the presence of the human body of Hafiz. And “dialogue” is the basis of the images. The human body of Hafiz is in a dialogue with a mortal beloved which is an emphasis on a non-heavenly interpretation of Hafiz. But when it comes to dialogue with the King or the sage, Ali Qoli presents a passive, patriarchal and authoritarian image of Hafiz. This Image is corresponded with the mentality of the people and intellectuals of Qajar era, considering the structure of national identity and authority as the first priority of the country.