Evolution of Art History Teaching in Iran

Evolution of Art History Teaching in Iran:

Art history is one of the basic chapters of art teaching in both academic and non-academic curriculum in Iran. Despite 80 years of education in art history and the dimensions of artistic disciplines in Iran, still it is not considered as an independent field in the educational system. This raises serious questions about the current situation of this domain of art studies. The main purpose of this presentation is to review the actual state of art history education in Iran’s institutions.

To speak about art history teaching in Iran, first we must highlight art history institutions and give an image of these institution’s evolution. Certainly, not all of these institutions are the product of the modernization in Iran, therefore, it is necessary to investigate the background of these institutions in order to demonstrate a scheme of the legacy of art historiography in previous periods in Iran.

Main institutions that have been studied in this presentation are art history courses, art history teachers, historical art resources or art historiography. Obviously, art history is not limited to these mentioned institutions, there are also other institutions which play major roles such as museums. However, for the purpose of surveying the art history as a subject of art education, we will mostly focus on the elements that have the major impact on the development of teaching of art history in Iran.

Art History Courses: 

Modern time courses in Iran were transformed from the traditional educational schools that pursued different tasks and objectives. although this new form did not leave behind all previous educational habits. The traditional school model was derived from the ancient Persia and distinguished itself from other traditional schools such as Maktab, Hojreh and Khaneghah, which each had different educational manners, but all have followed a religious dominant ideology and politics. In these traditional institutions, history discipline was a sub-category of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudential doctrines) and was taught with two different approaches: The debate between the master and the disciples, and in opposition, the necessity to unquestionably following of the master which was the legacy of Irfan tradition (islamic mysticism). However, later courses have totally conformed with the mysticism educational tradition which had favored contemplation, Muraqaba (individual meditation), and total obedience of students to the master.

The beginning of modern education was triggered by the foundation of Dar ul-Funun (meaning Polytechnique) in 1852. However, despite the fact that Art was a discipline in this school, and despite the existence of a natural museum in access, there was no sign of history studies in their curriculum. There were several educational complexities in this institution which caused some challenges for following art history education, such as: emphasis on quantity, on memory and not on critical debate, emphasis on practical art work in accordance with narrow styles, intense authority of the teacher, controversial competition between religious lessons and scientific knowledge, and lack of a dynamic and organic relationship between art education and the society. The most important Art educational institution in this period was the Sanaye'-e Mostazrefeh School (1916), founded by Kamal-o-l-Molk. The first publications on history and culture have been also issued at this period.

Before the establishment of Tehran University in 1933, many pseudo-university institutions were active in various fields rolled by European professors and Iranian graduates from Europe. History lessons were taught in two institutes: Teachers' College (for future teachers training) and Political Science School (to provide translators and diplomats) (Najati Hosseini, 1396, p. 81). In distinction with previous periods, history became a discipline under literature faculty in modern university institution, as archeology and other studies related to culture.

In Europe, on the other hand, education of history, including art history, was taking place under philosophical studies and they have emerged from the educational tradition of philosophy. Hegel and the Germanic historiography tradition are the most prominent examples. The proximity of historical narratives, its teaching in poetry and literature and its affection with religious narrations can justify important role of imagination and myth in formation of framework of Art History in Iran. At the same time in Europe, historian’s most important concern was to analyze events and to extract results with scientific accountability.

Even by the rise of the Fine Arts Faculty in 1940, art history did not find its major contribution into art education. Because the main purpose of the establishment of Tehran University for the authorities was to educate technicians, and the purpose of Art faculty was to provide practical skilled artists. In the Fine Arts Faculty, the main approach was generally inspired by either realism, which was Kamal-ol-Molk heritage, or modern art under the influence of European professors. In both realist and modern tendencies, The image and art history were just narratively instruments to justify the artist's personal choice of style [1].

With the specialization of higher education in Iran and with the development of humanities disciplines, it was necessary to differentiate the professional and theoretical lines. At that time, different fields of Art became separated and they have been recognized as independent faculties for the first time. This approach reflects the view of the administrators of higher educations in Iran  who considered art as an independent field from other humanities which still exists today.

After the revolution, with the grow of universities and as the result of the deletion of the discourses that did not fit with revolutionary narrative, and the exclusion of teachers and past historical resources, in addition, with the diversity of art disciplines and increased amount of students, it became a necessity to train and employ more specialized art history teachers. cultural administrators have reviewed and modified the art history in order to make the educational programs more compatible with the new Islamic-Iranian identity, and as a result, the distinction between the world art history teaching (Western) and Iranian art and culture history became vividly apparent.

However, due to the failure of defining the theoretical fundamentals of Iranian and oriental art, these courses gradually became more distant from the framework of history, and their dominant ideological theme was such that in following years they were taught among general Islamic art and civilization lessons. 

This special hegemony of government’s discourse in university caused a kind of reaction by students such as the anti-class phenomenon (Najati Hosseini, 1396). The reaction to this type of ideological content of the courses debugging at universities, which included prevailing narrative of artistic history. At the same time, educational institutions emerged outside of university, due to relative freedom and agility unlike the university, they provided more new and free educational contents in artistic subjects, including art history, and were welcomed in art community outside of university.

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