This project investigates the visual representation of astral imagery in the Islamicate world, with a primary focus on the post-medieval period (15th–18th centuries), while acknowledging the enduring influence of medieval models. It considers astral images as active conveyors of knowledge, examining their roles in both elite intellectual and scientific contexts as well as in popular and vernacular practices, including magic and divination. The research examines underexplored visual traditions such as the 28 lunar stations and 360-degree zodiacal skies and traces their circulation across Iran, India and the Ottoman world. By integrating manuscript studies, art history, and digital humanities, the project aims to produce a monograph on astral imagery and celestial magic in Safavid Iran.
Representation of degrees 25 to 33 of Capricorn, from the 360-degree zodiac. Deccan, India, 17th century, Wellcome MS Persian 373, fol. 40b. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Project
(2025-2028)