Document Type : Original/Research/Regular Article
Authors
1
دانشیار دانشگاه پیام نور تهران
2
faculty of Art
Abstract
This research deals with the analysis of ewers’ form of the Seljuk period in Kashan. These ewers are now being kept in Metropolitan Museum of Art. Apparently, these ewers possess a sign system and have hidden meanings. The purpose of this research is to discover these meanings using structuralism semiotics approaches. In this study, theories of structuralism figures such as Saussure, Strauss and Jacobsen have been employed. Saussure distinguished langue and parole. Langue is a system of signs and special rules that creates a particular language. The personal use of language is parole. Strauss studied Saussure’s Linguistic Principles on narratives. By studying myths and getting help from linguistics methods, he came to believe that a myth must have a structure similar to language. For this reason, myths can be considered similar to parole. Then he tried to find the langue of each of the myths. In this study, based on the theory of "langue" and "parole", ewers have been considered as texts whose langue is hidden in their parole. In order to understand the meaning of these dishes, one must find the smallest unit of meaning. By studying the ewers and using the commutation test, it becomes apparent that their langue is in their body. The most important part of these dishes is their body and that removed, other components will be meaningless and passive.
Roman Jacobsen believes that Language units are related to each other with binary oppositions. These binary oppositions create meaning. The Meaning of "dark" depends on the meaning of "bright". So searching for oppositions in the body of ewers, "open-close" and "up-down" meanings were perceived. The comprehendible meaning is that these dishes are suitable for storing, filling and emptying foods and drinks. Actually ewers’ Langue that has not changed over the time is related to their function.
Next, the relationship between the components was examined to realize ewers parole. In this part of the study, one of the dishes has been selected for the case study.
In this analysis, first the sign system of components was studied followed by checking the relationship among these components. In order to realize the components and read meaning, the "Code theory" has been used. In semiotics, artworks can be considered as a text which consists of signs; and in order to be able to understand their meaning, we must know their code or communication contracts. Only in the context of codes, the signs have meaning. Codes create a relationship between the signifier and signified. Given that the relationship between signifier and signified is optional, so in order to know the meanings of the signs, we must know their contracts and codes. Jacobsen was from among those structuralism linguists who insisted that production and interpretation of texts depend on the codes or conventions.
In this study, we focused on perceptual codes (A kind of interpretive code that is related to Gestalt psychology). But if necessary, we will use other codes related to the visual arts to interpret the meanings of visual messages. Meaning could not be built from combination of the basic elements signs; but largely they depend on the specific sensory devices that are the same in all human beings. In fact, our perception makes the meaning of the visual messages. Some theorists believe that our daily perception world be possible with codes. According to Gestalt psychology, there are features in human visual perception that can create the perceptual codes. Artists and interpreters of artworks accepted Gestalt principles as rules for the production and interpretation of visual artworks. But, of course, these rules are not conclusive; there are many contracts and codes to produce and interpret works of art which are related to specific context of art field.
Components that are known in the form of ewers are: line, volume, color, texture, positive and negative spaces and Motifs. Their relationships were studied to understand the meaning of ewer. According to the types of volumes that have shaped the ewers, a balanced, stable and non-active composition from the type of symmetry is created; According to perceptual codes, their meaning is order, balance, poise, stability and without excitement. Symmetry composition is boring in a long time. The sense of stillness and uniformity is decreasing by shape and position of handle and by cause of pressure to visual perceptual system.
Another identifiable component in this combination is turquoise blue and ultramarine color that matches with spherical body. And according to the psychology of color codes, it means Gnostic intuition, calm and supernatural world. Blue gives calming effect to our psyche. Texture and positive and negative patterns and spaces mean contrast and are against uniformity. And finally the meanings perceived are balance, symmetry, poise, calmness and movement.
Keywords
)
