We can classify Iranian handicrafts into different types. Metal handicrafts are generally referred to as industries whose raw material is metal, and with the help of various tools, they can change the shape of the metal and turn it into a device or something else.
We can call this art a metal hand art, which in the past was generally done on silver, copper and gold dishes. Painting is one of the practical and decorative handicrafts in Iranian handicrafts, during which various arts are performed on a container made of different metals.
These days, we can generally see the art of writing on metals such as copper and bronze. The art of calligraphy has a very long and strong history in Iran. This art was so popular and valuable that the artists themselves made a container or a device on which they wanted to paint.
But today it is not like that and generally, various copper workshops prepare all kinds of copper dishes and forms and paint on them. Unless an artist has a special emphasis on being handmade, a copper artwork. In this case, as in the past, he himself takes action to create such a work.
For pen making, you need tools such as bending machine, anvil, brush motor, electric furnace and hammer, bitumen machine, filler, hammer and all kinds of iron pens. Of course, the first series of tools is for when the tool is to be made by the artist himself, not in the workshop. Research indicates that the art of penmanship was very important in the Sasanian period.
To introduce the method of painting, first, it is necessary to tar the container around using melted bitumen so that the blows on the container do not cause the container to bend. Also, since writing generally has a high tone, coating the container with bitumen makes it less loud. Brushing on metals has many different stages and many details, and generally all people who go to this work benefit from special precision in achieving their art.
Metal mesh is another Iranian metal handicraft. This art was very important in the Seljuk Valley. The devices that are made with metal mesh art are both functional and decorative, so you can use all kinds of metal mesh containers for different purposes.
In the past, candle holders and oudi holders were among the most important and popular dishes that fall under the art of metal mesh. The artists of this art made these dishes in the form of different animals.
This art, as one of Iran's metal handicraft arts, is performed on all kinds of copper and silver dishes. In this art, a plan is carefully cut and wooden hammers are used to smooth the plan. A chainsaw is generally used to make the desired design.
You can see this art more in Isfahan. In metal mesh art, all the extraneous parts that are on the page below the work are separated from the whole design, and the focus of the work will be on the final design and its mastery. This is why this art is called metal mesh art.
Because in the final design, you can see grid-like drawings on a dish or any other hollow and flat surface. In addition to Isfahan, which is the mine of this material, you can see all kinds of ornaments made with this method or all kinds of blessed names of metal mesh in East Azerbaijan province.
The last art that we want to mention as one of the most famous arts of Iran's handicrafts is the art of engraving on metal. The tool used in this art is a pen called Mangash.
Engraving on metal is usually done on copper grounds. The difference between the art of engraving on metal and the other mentioned arts is that in this art, generally, all the characters appear prominently on the design and you will not see any depressions. In fact, in this art, the surrounding of the main design on the intended container is removed and emptied to obtain the final design.
One of the most active provinces that is very famous in the field of metal engraving art is East Azerbaijan province. Engraving on metal in this province is done in a principled way, and this is the reason why one of the artists active in this art was able to receive the seal of authenticity of UNESCO in the field of engraving on silver. It is necessary to know that engraving on metal is mainly done on candlesticks or mirrors and the dishes under this art are generally more decorative.
