The Demon in Iranian Miniature and Modern Art: A Comparative Study of Ali Akbar Sadeghi’s Holy Demons

The figure of the dīv (demon) occupies a pivotal place in Iranian mythology, literature, and visual culture. From Zoroastrian scripture to Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, the demon functions as an archetype of chaos, deception, and cosmic disorder. In Persian miniature painting—particularly in the celebrated Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp—dīvs are vividly illustrated as monstrous outsiders whose defeat restores cosmic balance. In contrast, the modern Iranian painter Ali Akbar Sadeghi (b. ۱۹۳۷) radically reinterprets the demon through his Holy Demons series, transforming the figure into a liminal entity embodying hybridity, ambiguity, and socio-political critique. This paper presents a comparative study of demon iconography from classical Persian miniatures to Sadeghi’s modern canvases. Employing qualitative visual and thematic analysis, the study situates these images within historical, cultural, and theoretical frameworks, including Zoroastrian dualism, Jungian archetypes, semiotics, and postmodern hybridity. By examining shifts in form, color, symbolism, and narrative role, this paper demonstrates how the demon evolves from a mythic villain to a complex emblem of modern Iranian identity. The analysis suggests that Sadeghi’s Holy Demons enact a reconciliation of opposites—good and evil, sacred and profane, local and global—thereby reconfiguring an ancient motif for contemporary artistic discourse.

کلیدواژه ها:

demonology ، dīv ، visual culture ، iconography ، semiotics