Persian Poetry: From Pictorial Representation to Modern Figurative Imagery

Abstract

This article explores the nature of picturisation in Persian poetry and traces its development from early verbal imagery to modern symbolic representation. It shows how poetic expression gradually evolved in form and meaning across different literary periods. In the early phase of Persian poetry, poets like Roudaki demonstrated mastery in creating simple yet vivid verbal images. During the Samanid era, Daqiqi enriched epic poetry with dynamic and detailed descriptions. In the Ghaznavid period, Ferdousi’s Shahnameh became a landmark of descriptive and imaginative writing, presenting a rich gallery of powerful imagery. Ansri’s poetry from the same era also reflects lively and expressive visual descriptions, especially of nature, emotions, and battle scenes. In the Seljuk period, under the Iraqi style (Sabk-e Iraqi), poets like Omar Khayyam advanced poetic expression toward symbolic meaning. The works of Anwari and Nizami further transformed poetry into a refined collection of artistic images through rhetorical skill. In later periods, poets such as Saadi, Ameer Khusrau, Faizi, Urfi, and Naziri expanded both descriptive and symbolic imagery. In modern Persian poetry, influenced by global literary trends, there is a clear shift toward deeper symbolic and metaphorical representation, moving beyond simple picturization toward complex thematic expression.