The Role of the Murals of the Chehel Sotoun Palace in Representing Soft Power during the Safavid Period

Introduction: During the Safavid period, art and architecture served as strategic tools to convey soft power. The Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan, with its ceremonial, convivial, and martial murals, not only narrates political and cultural events but also plays a role within Joseph Nye’s theoretical framework of soft power in establishing political legitimacy, enhancing cultural appeal, and conveying diplomatic messages. The aim of this research is to analyze a network of visual, spatial, and material implications in three significant murals of the Safavid Chehel Sotoun Palace, which have been influential in shaping the discourse of Safavid authority. The principal research question is: «How do these murals, through ritual signs, spatial arrangement, and material symbols, engage in the production and representation of soft power within Nye’s theoretical framework, focusing on the three sources of culture, political values, and foreign policy?»Research Method: The present research employs a descriptive-analytical, qualitative approach. Data were collected through library sources, historical documents, and archival images. Three selected murals were examined using Joseph Nye’s soft power framework, employing a descriptive–interpretive analysis of visual and spatial elements, with emphasis on the three components of culture, political values, and foreign policy.Findings: The results indicate that the cultural component, through the integration of rituals, attire, luxurious objects, and musical elements, has transformed the flourishing of Safavid culture into an attractive and influential factor. In terms of political values, the king’s central position, the orderly arrangement, and the precise composition of the scenes convey a sense of theatrical authority and divine legitimacy. The foreign policy component, by emphasizing the grandeur of ceremonial receptions and the imagery of military victories, has conveyed messages of trust, unity, and deterrence, transforming visual art into a tool for cultural diplomacy.Conclusion: The interaction of these three components (cultural, political values, and foreign policy) reveals a synergistic model of Safavid soft power, which, through cultural appeal, political cohesion, and communication strategies, simultaneously establishes an attractive and authoritative image of the Safavid government in the minds of both local and foreign audiences.

کلیدواژه ها:

Mural ، Chehel Sotoun Palace ، soft power ، Safavid Era ، Joseph Nye