Ulrich Marzolph to Explore Shii Visual Culture in Lecture at Institute for Advanced Study

Ulrich Marzolph, Professor of Islamic studies at the Georg-August-University in Göttingen, Germany, will give a public lecture, “The Visual Culture of Iranian Twelver Shiism in the Qajar Period,” which will take place Thursday, December 7, at 6:00 p.m. in the Dilworth Room. This lecture is made possible by the Dr. S.T. Lee Fund for Historical Studies.

In this public lecture, Marzolph will outline the features relevant for the study of Shii visual culture. By discussing Qajar period images as documented in tile work, lithographed books, and the narrative canvasses of storytellers, Marzolph will document the more “popular” aspects of Shii visual culture. Through capturing the appeal of illustrations that embody the emotional narratives of Shiism’s historical experience, this imagery has contributed decisively to the firm establishment of the Twelver Shii creed in Iran.

Marzolph specializes in exploring the narrative culture of the Muslim world, including its links to both visual culture and the history of printing. Having served on the editorial committee of the Enzyklopädie des Märchens (1986–2015), he is now conducting a research project that studies the impact of narratives originating from the Muslim world in Western oral tradition. He has published widely, including a number of studies on narrative illustration in Persian lithographed books and on modern Iranian martyr murals.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register for this event, click here. For more information on other public lectures and events at the Institute, visit http://www.ias.edu/events.