Document Type : .

Authors

• Maziyar Mohammadioun ¹
• Mohamad Hasanpur ²

¹ MA in Photography, Soore University, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor of Art faculty , Sistan and Baluchistan University, Zahedan, Iran

Abstract

Historical photographs are essential tools utilized to study and analyze the social history of different periods; in addition to providing visual information, they have implicit implications for other senses, including the sense of taste. Extracting elements related to the taste in photographs and matching them with the written sources can reveal the relationship between the social position and the sense of taste, the way of cooking, the ingredients, and the way of serving the food. Many photographs taken in the Qajar period include elements and behaviours related to the foods. In the current article, using the social history of the senses to analyze photographs, we examined the sense of taste in photographs of different social classes in the Qajar period. The critical question of this research is: "what are the differences in the sense of taste in various social classes in the Qajar era, and how is it reflected in the social photographs of the same period?" The results show that in the photographs recorded during this period, food and related elements in the upper of the social class pyramid were used not only to tame hunger but also to present an aesthetic and luxurious aspect and the glory in banquets such as Ashkhoran, an annual feast of the king. In these classes, a large volume of high-quality food is used together in one meal. While the meals of the lower social classes were more uncomplicated and, regardless of aesthetics, were consumed for necessity and urgency.

Keywords

• Sense of Taste in Photography
• Qajar Period Photographs
• Social Classes
• Social History of The Senses
• Social Photographs

Extended Abstract

Social History of Taste in the Qajar Period through Analyzing Photographs of Different Social Classes

Introduction

Historical photographs are essential tools utilized to study and analyze the social history of different periods; in addition to providing visual information, they have implicit implications for other senses, including the sense of taste. Images can be perceived as multisensory objects by visualizing other senses through sensory memory (Walker, 2016). Extracting elements related to the taste in photographs and matching them with the written sources can reveal the relationship between the social position and the sense of taste, the way of cooking, the ingredients, and the way of serving the food.

Humans never consider an object consumptive and constantly interfere in them. The way of Modifying things causes differences between different social classes (Bourdieu, 1998: 80). Food and everything related to it are objects that give a person a social identity by changing and occupying it. The social history of the taste has always been of interest to historians (Almerico, 2014; Civitello, 2008; Krishnblatt, 1999) and researchers in the field of art and literature (Hasanpūr, 2019; Karimi, Alāmi Mehmāndūsti and Mobāshri, 2013; Walker, 2016).

Many photographs taken in the Qajar period include elements and behaviors related to the foods. Also, the effects of the transition to the modern era in the Qajar period on the people's perceptions are significant. In the current article, using the social history of the senses to analyze photographs, we examined the sense of taste in photographs of different social classes in the Qajar period.  In this way, it is possible to understand people of different classes' experiences facing sensory stimuli like foods in this period. The critical question of this research is: "what are the differences in the sense of taste in various social classes in the Qajar era, and how is it reflected in the social photographs of the same period?"

Methodology: This study aims to analyze the sense of taste in different classes of the Qajar period using the social history of the sense of taste. The social history of the sense of taste as a method of analyzing photos allows the historians and researchers to extract elements related to the food-the way of cooking, serving and eating food, Tools related to the act of eating, and the type of food consumed in different social classes-which is present in the implicit layers of the photos. It helps pay attention to the taste people related to various social categories experienced and reveals helpful information about people's daily lifestyles.

Results: According to the photographs recorded during this period, food and related elements in the upper of the social class pyramid were used not only to tame hunger but also to present an aesthetic and luxurious aspect and the glory in banquets such as Ashkhoran, an annual feast of the king. In these social classes, a large volume of high-quality food is used together in one meal. While the meals of the lower social classes were consumed for necessity. Also, the volume of food in the upper-class of society photos are more so that there is no space on their tablecloths. While in the photos of the lower classes of society, simpler foods and empty tablecloths can be seen, regardless of their aesthetic aspect, only to satisfy hunger and without any rituals. The fruit is present in the upper social classes' photographs, along with numerous types of food. However, it was sometimes used as a main meal among the lower social classes. Rice is always an inseparable element in the meal of the upper classes and the king.

Imported modernity in the Qajar period is also seen in the eating habits of Iranians. This change started in the upper class of society and the court and spread to people in other social classes. Of course, this modernity has an incomplete combination with traditional elements, which indicates the transition stage.

Conclusion: Analyzing existing photographs from the Qajar period and matching them with the written sources reveal the sense of taste in different classes of society and the way they perceive the world. Undoubtedly, taste and choice of food, eating habits, etc., are related to culture, economic issues and access to ingredients. Therefore, the type of food, its amount and the way it is consumed are different in various social classes, which can be clearly seen in the available photos. Also, food and everything related to it are objects that give a social identity to the person by changing and occupying it.