Problem Statement
The term iconography has a Greek root, eikonographia, which is formed from the combination of two words: eikon, from the Greek root meaning “image,” and graphy, from the root graphein, meaning “to carve, to draw, or to depict.” In Persian, this word has been translated as shamayel-negari (iconography). (Farhangpour, 2019, p. 76) Iconography is considered a part of art history studies, and its domain includes the study, identification of content, and description of the signs present in works of art. This art-critical approach, which has historical roots, became highly significant among art researchers in the twentieth century, and scholarly investigations concerning it began. Iconography and iconology are among the approaches in image studies whose origins go back to the Renaissance; however, as a systematic methodological approach in the field of imagery, they developed from the early twentieth century and were ultimately completed by Erwin Panofsky. Panofsky considers iconography a branch of art history that examines the theme and meaning of the artwork as opposed to its form (Panofsky, 2009). According to his approach, every artwork is studied and critiqued with respect to the historical and cultural values of the period in which it was created. The study of the history of visual perception and culture falls under the domain of iconographic methodology. In this method, after description and analysis, the interpretation of the work is conducted. Just as understanding motivations and the accurate analysis of images, stories, and allegories is essential, the necessary condition for recognizing iconographic systems involves three components: form, idea, and content (Holly, 1981, p. 205). This approach identifies and distinguishes three semantic levels—“primary,” “secondary,” and “intrinsic”—with the aim of discovering the hidden messages behind the tangible elements of the artwork and analyzing and revealing unknown aspects of beliefs, ideologies, and worldviews embedded in visual components (Abdi, 2012, p. 16).
After the defeat of the Ghaznavid Empire in Dandankan, the Seljuk Turkmens entered the western regions of its territory, advanced as far as Baghdad, and, under the patronage of the caliph, rose to power. This period marks the flourishing of Iranian Islamic culture and the expansion of Persian literature and sciences. Samak-e Ayyar is one of the earliest illustrated examples of Persian storytelling which, beyond its literary importance, holds a distinguished place in Iranian miniature painting.
The main story narrates the adventures of a chivalrous prince named Khorshid Shah, who becomes enamored with Mah-Pari, the daughter of the king of China, and a series of fascinating and instructive events unfolds thereafter. The illustrated version of this work was produced during the Seljuk period and is now preserved at the Bodleian Library of the University of Oxford. The subject of the present research is the miniature entitled “Samak Capturing the Daughter of Tighu and Kajān Learning the Magic from Her”, which visually represents a part of the story; in this scene, Kajān pressures Tighu’s daughter to teach him the secret of breaking a spell and dispelling enchantment. The aim of this study is the semantic analysis and symbolic interpretation of this miniature based on Erwin Panofsky’s three-stage method.
In this research, using Panofsky’s iconographic approach, the selected miniature from Samak-e Ayyar is examined in three stages:
1. Pre-iconographic description,
2. Iconographic analysis, and
3. Iconographic or iconological interpretation.
 
The first stage, pre-iconographic description, lies within the realm of the world of motifs. At this level, objects, events, and visual elements—such as lines, colors, and volumes—are visually observed and identified.
This recognition is primarily based on practical experience and direct familiarity, though its accuracy is not necessarily guaranteed (Panofsky, 2018, p. 9). The goal of this stage is to determine the primary subject and describe the visual structure or pattern of the work.
In the second stage, iconographic analysis, the subject of the work, the narratives, and the characters presented in it are identified and introduced. This level of analysis represents an interpretive understanding obtained through literary, religious, or oral sources, enabling the viewer to grasp the concepts and themes conveyed by the artwork (Panofsky, 2018; Panofsky, 2017 [Persian trans.]).
The third stage, iconological interpretation, is devoted to uncovering the values, semantic layers, and symbolic meanings embedded in the work. At this level, beyond the surface and the narrative, the worldview, beliefs, and cultural and historical concepts underlying the visual elements are examined in order to derive a deeper meaning from the artwork.
 
 
 
Research Objective:
The objective of this study is to identify and analyze the visual patterns and symbolic meanings of the aforementioned painting using Erwin Panofsky’s three-stage methodological approach.
Research Questions:
·         What visual patterns can be identified in the painting “Capturing Samak by Tighu’s Daughter and Kajan Receiving Magic from Her”?
 
Research Method
This study aims to examine and understand miniature painting of the Seljuk era through the visual analysis of a miniature from the manuscript of Samak-e Ayyar preserved in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. The research is qualitative in nature and fundamental in aim. Data have been collected through the observation of artworks and images, the study of books, articles, theses, written documents, and online archival and library sources. Access to the images of the illustrated manuscript was obtained through the Bodleian Library’s digital archive.
The research method is descriptive–analytical, and the analyses are carried out based on Panofsky’s iconographic approach to identify the intrinsic content and semantic layers of the miniature. Finally, the characteristics of the miniature are discussed and clarified as components of Seljuk-era miniature painting in the conclusion section.
Conclusion
The iconographic analysis of the miniature “Samak Capturing the Daughter of Tighu and Kajān Learning Magic from Her” demonstrates that this work, beyond representing a narrative episode, reflects a symbolic and multilayered structure of Iranian beliefs, myths, and worldview during the Seljuk period. The visual elements of this miniature—such as the king and crown, the farr-e kayani (divine royal glory), the fairy, arabesque motifs, symbolic colors, the flowering plant, and the sword—gain meaning through an organic connection with religious and mythical traditions, elevating the image from mere narration to a symbolic and ideological level.
The present examination also shows that the illustration not only serves the literary narrative but also possesses epistemological and ideological functions; therefore, it may be considered a visual document that reconstructs the intellectual, religious, and social layers of sixth-century Hijri Iran. This highlights the significance of illustrated literary manuscripts alongside more well-known artifacts such as ceramics and royal miniatures.
A strength of this research is its focus on a lesser-known visual text, demonstrating that iconographic analysis can be just as effective for popular or vernacular works as it is for formal, courtly ones. Thus, Samak-e Ayyar, as an example of Iran’s literary–visual tradition, opens a new perspective in interdisciplinary studies of art, mythology, and literature. The results of this study offer a model that can be applied to future research on other illustrated literary manuscripts and can contribute to completing the social and visual history of medieval Iran.