Study of Cornelis de Bruijn's Engravings from Shiraz during the Safavid era

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Iranian Architecture Studies, Faculty of Architecture and Restoration, Shiraz University of Arts, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

The condition of Shīrāz during the Safavid era and the details of its suburbs are among the most obscured historical periods in the architectural and urban studies of this city. However, Cornelis de Bruijn (a Dutch traveler and painter) has provided eight unparalleled engravings of Shīrāz in the early 18th century/12th century AH, which possess "realism" and "localism." The aim of this research is to recognize the historical and artistic backgrounds that influenced the creation of these engravings, and to re-read and analyze them; it attempts to identify the components of the historical-natural landscape of Shīrāz and the relationship between text and image in them, and to reveal the new data available to them. The research method is historical. Although the travelogue in English (1737) was the main source of this research, another version in French (1718) was consulted to verify names, check figures, and clarify certain details. The current research is not a comparative study; however, referring to other travel writers of that era who visited Shīrāz has been influential in gaining a deeper understanding and analysis of Bruijn's works, and these have been utilized when necessary. The findings indicate a) the influence of the artistic and mental context of Bruijn on their creation. They also represent the synthesis of "city" and "suburb" or "ruin" and "garden," which reinterprets the historical and natural landscape of Shīrāz under the title of antiquity and age in "detailed and panorama views." Bruijn was very precise and sensitive in selecting the location and angle for engraving her works. The desire for ruins in his engravings stems from a longing for the lost grandeur, historicity, decay, and the transient. Although Bruijn is referred to as a "meticulous and realistic Renaissance-trained collector and painter" with a critical spirit who had a passionate drive to discover the unknown and gain renown, he did not delve into the social life, customs, and beliefs of the people in his travelogue. In his engravings, particularly those of Shīrāz, there is a certain reflection of the Western perception of the East, which is characterized by a sense of lassitude and indifference. b) The travelogue text (details, dimensions, and proportions) complements the engravings. c) The engravings can be divided into two categories: "representing architectural works and historical landscapes" and "representing the landscape of the city and suburbs," encompassing data from architectural works and the structure of suburbs (historical landscape). The precise placement of city buildings, the distinction in the shape of domes, the presence of minarets, the emphasis on tombs (Sheikh Zain al-Din and Sheikh Nūrbakhsh), gardens (Firdaws), and architectural works and ruins surrounding the city are seen in fewer engravings from the Safavid era of Shīrāz. Despite this, some important buildings have been overlooked; the delightful garden, the Hāfeziyeh, and the Bāgh-e-Takht Garden are among the most significant. The Bruijn data can be used as a document in studies of the Safavid era in Shīrāz. Future research can examine these data from the perspective of "historical geography" and the "space-time" angle, and proceed to critique and analyze them.

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References

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Journal of Architecture and Urban Planning
Volume 17, Issue 47
July 2025
Pages 68-87

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