Comparative analysis of mythological role of Layla in poems of Nezami and Jami and its representation in Iranian painting

In Iranian paintings, both signs of physical beauty and feminine spiritual beauty have emerged with applications of artistic and design principles. In harmony with literature, painters have attempted to show the concept of women with good outward and inward qualities, and finally to present a beautiful and chaste image of them in their paintings. According to Iranian literature and paintings, a considerable part belongs to female myths such as Layla, moreover with Majnun, which is the cause of numerous literary and artistic works. In fact, the fame of the story of Layla and Majnun and their love, was born owing to of Iranian poets. Iranian paintings and poems have an old relationship, insofar as they have merged with ancient Iranian wisdom and Islamic mysticism. In visual art, the artist tries to picture his or her views of a particular subject, which is the set of visual messages created a visual connection. The concept of Layla (appearance and nature) is significant in drawings of painters such as Kamal Al-Din Behzad, Mir Khalil Naqash, Mozaffar Ali Torbati and Qasem Ali. The aim of this research is visual analyzing the role of Layla and her postures in one side and the conformity between poetry diwans of Khamseh of Nezami and Haft Awrang of Jami and drawings created during Timurid and Safavid dynasties, on the other side. The role of Layla in drawings of the mentioned periods and diwans was analyzed to figure out the compatibility and incompatibility points between drawings and poems descriptions. In addition, this research tries to answer two questions. First, what are the visual specials of Layla in the diwans of Khamseh of Nezami and Haft Awrang of Jami during the Timurid and Safavid dynasties? Second, how compatible can be drawings and original poems descriptions? According to the paintings created during mentioned dynasties periods, there are some paintings which the Layla was depicted according to the poet explanation while in some others the painters entered their ideas into their works. Therefore, in some paintings there is huge difference between poems description and the drawings. Layla was portraited as a virtuous and charm girl, who has bright skin, long and tiny hands. As a rule, she was drawn at the center of paintings and spotlighted but always looked at downward. In most of the cases, she was sitting in heavy and dignified posture but in others she had special position which is related to the location and surrounding atmosphere. According to poems, Layla was a modest girl and in most paintings, Layla was drawn with her servants while the aristocratic temperament was not seen in her. Whereas many mystical sects existed during mentioned dynasties, the most painters often portrayed a person with some interferences which had an ideological and religious background. Therefore, it is obvious difference between drawings and the poems descriptions. In addition, to understand the poems meaning, knowledge of literature and getting help of some professors are required. The notable point in the poems mentioned by professors were their tension in the meaning, hence, the consensus idea were applied to understand the meaning of a poem.