the liminal Experience in Shiite Iconography of the Qajar Period

The analysis of the relationship between aesthetic experience and religious experience under the concept of liminal experience has been re-evaluated by scholars like Erika Fischer. From Fischer’s perspective, although not all liminal experiences can be classified as aesthetic, those liminal experiences aimed at inner transformation and possessing specific transformative characteristics share notable similarities with religious experiences. Accordingly, this paper addresses how these two types of experiences intersect in relation to one of the distinguishing features of Islamic art that emerged during the Qajar period, namely, Shiite iconography. Religion is not only represented in explicitly religious texts but can also be mediated through texts that, by definition, are not religious. This includes works that engage with or describe religious experiences or, more broadly, religious practices. Many aspects of Islamic art may possess this dimension, but this article focuses specifically on Shiite iconography during the Qajar period, which had not previously appeared in Islamic lands in this form. The central question is: how do aesthetic and religious experiences intersect in the context of Qajar Shiite iconography?
According to Fischer’s definition, aesthetic experience constitutes a form of "liminal experience." All religious experiences, as long as they do not involve a transcendental reality or entity, can also be considered aesthetic experiences. The term "liminality" refers to the duality, confusion, or disorientation experienced during the intermediate phase of a transitional ceremony—akin to the experiences of pilgrimage or attendance at a mosque or church. During this phase, participants no longer remain in their pre-ceremonial state but have not yet transitioned into the post-ceremonial state. The first stage, or the pre-liminal phase, is characterized by separation; the intermediate or liminal phase involves transition; and the third stage, the post-liminal phase, signifies reintegration into society.
From this viewpoint, the classical demarcation between artistic and ritual performances becomes untenable because, when this state is interpreted as liminal for the audience, the artistic and religious aspects of their experience converge. However, it is essential to determine precisely when and how this liminal state emerges. The liminal condition manifests in two ways: first, through emergence, and second, through autopoiesis. Broadly speaking, autopoiesis refers to a self-generative action inherent in the essence of the artwork, which creates an autopoietic loop during the artistic event. The second liminal state relates to the collapse of dualities, particularly the dichotomy between reality and art. Essentially, these dualities enable the liminal experience.
In other words, aesthetic experience, as a form of liminal experience, is specifically applicable to the performing arts and theatrical performances. However, the question arises whether this concept can also be generalized to other artistic disciplines and even to non-artistic domains such as rituals and ceremonies. Ultimately, aesthetic and liminal experiences align due to the transformative effects of the autopoietic feedback loop, wherein the liminal experience transforms its subject. Despite this alignment, there is a non-essential difference between the two: in both types of liminal experiences (religious and artistic), the audience experiences a state of ecstasy. For instance, one can imagine the position of an observer of Ta’ziyeh (Shiite passion plays) versus a theatrical performance.
Broadly, the liminal experience serves two purposes: collective transformation (primarily collaborative) and physical-emotional metamorphosis. As a liminal experience, aesthetic experience involves a temporary transformation of the audience, often achieved through a transitional process. The objective of the aesthetic, then, may be understood as fostering active engagement in this transformative journey. When aesthetic experience is imbued with religious connotations, the audience interprets its scope as being connected to the sublime. On this basis, aesthetics relates to the materials, forms, and tools utilized by the artist in presenting an artwork or artistic event, as well as the perception it evokes by stimulating the audience's senses, imagination, and emotions. Consequently, when aesthetic experiences are regarded as liminal experiences, they bear similarities to religious experiences, such as mystical or revelatory ecstasies.
In summary, what individuals with specific intellectual backgrounds or beliefs label as religious experience can generally also be interpreted as an aesthetic experience. This phenomenon can be assessed in many ritualistic dimensions of Shiism in Iran, particularly in one of its most innovative aspects—Shiite iconography. The commonality between religious and aesthetic experiences lies in their shared liminality. The visualization of religious beliefs and practices in Iranian Shiism gained a new dimension with the advent of images, particularly during the Qajar period. Aesthetic sensory experiences, due to their epistemic and emotional significance, have transformative effects on observers of rituals and are, therefore, valuable.
During this period, for the first time in Islamic tradition, religious icons featuring predominantly Shiite themes emerged. These icons are significant in a particular sense because they delineate their role in facilitating religious actions. Consequently, they pave the way for equating an aesthetic experience with a liminal-religious experience. The image thus became a religious icon, treated with reverence and mystery, and was perceived as demanding respect. For example, several memoirs and records from this period note the veneration and near-sacred regard afforded to depictions of Qajar rulers and imams. The majority of the Shiite community during the Qajar era expressed a desire to see such images, which were painted based on descriptions they had heard. This visual depiction reinforced mental visualization. In other words, what religious texts failed to articulate was expressed visually, serving as a tangible representation of religious imagination in society.
With the rise of this iconographic tradition, a new dimension of religious duty emerged alongside the artistic and aesthetic aspects of iconography. These icons served as tools for worship and protection against calamity. The function of gazing upon a sacred figure or icon was grounded in a comprehensive theology centered on the concept of "imamate." It can thus be asserted that this phenomenon significantly influenced the religiosity of the Qajar populace. Despite this, Shiite iconography ultimately shaped a specific interpretive community of Shiites in Iran through its stable repetitions and conventions. The continued popularity of the imaginative depictions of Shiite imams can be attributed to their integration into public and religious spaces, where these visual media acquired new functions and remain influential in contemporary Shiite culture in Iran.
The visual culture of Qajar Iran, which utilized court iconography to represent the absent among the populace as a commemorative and unifying element, established a cultural framework that facilitated the transfer of images into spaces of worship. This facilitated the transformation of such imagery into a medium of devotion, enabling it to gain new significance within the broader culture of Shiism in Iran.
In conclusion, Fischer’s interpretation of the nature of the liminal experience clarifies the conditions under which a connection between aesthetic and religious experiences can be established. In this framework, given the inherent expansiveness of these two types of experiences and the nature of the transformation they engender, the shared liminal quality can be observed in many artistic and ritual events. Fundamentally, the concept of liminality entails a staged transformation, which suffices to serve as a common feature of religious and aesthetic experiences. From this perspective, many experiences regarded as religious can also be considered aesthetic. To examine the practical implications of this connection in the audience’s engagement with Qajar Shiite icons, the devotional function of these icons underscores this intersection, answering the central question of this study: how aesthetic and religious experiences converge as liminal experiences. Thus, with the emergence of this iconographic style in Iran, the concept of such experiences can be articulated more concretely, offering fertile ground for future research into the nature of religious and liminal experiences in religious art.