[Court of the mosque Gawhar Shad, MESHED, 1418 (?)] 1840 - 1869

Luigi Pesce captured the Court of the mosque Gawhar Shad in Meshed around 1818 using photography. The arches, adorned with intricate geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy, dominate the space, symbolizing a gateway to the divine and to sacred knowledge. The arch motif resonates across cultures and epochs, from Roman triumphal arches celebrating military victory to the Gothic arches of medieval cathedrals reaching for the heavens. In Islamic architecture, arches are not merely structural; they embody a threshold between the earthly and spiritual realms, inviting contemplation and transcendence. Consider how the arch has evolved: initially a symbol of power and triumph, it has been adapted in religious contexts to evoke a sense of reverence and spiritual passage. This transformation reveals our collective, subconscious yearning for meaning and connection to something greater than ourselves. The arch's enduring presence reflects the cyclical nature of symbols, continually resurfacing and adapting to new cultural landscapes, ever inviting us to cross their threshold.