Abstract
With the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty, a profound transformation occurred in the patronage and production of sculpture in Iran—so much so that the sheer volume of statues commissioned during this period is without precedent in both the ancient and modern eras of Iranian history. Sculpture emerged as a potent symbolic medium through which the ruling elite articulated their policies, grounded in the tenets of nationalism, antiquarianism, and modernization. The Pahlavi government sought to harness these public monuments as instruments of ideological persuasion, strategically placing them in prominent urban locations to shape public consciousness and align the traditional and religious sectors of Iranian society with the reformist vision championed by the dynasty’s intellectual and political elite. In other words, the regime deliberately exploited the propagandistic potential of sculptural art to prime the populace for its reform agenda. This study addresses the following research question: What political, social, and cultural functions did the statues erected during the First Pahlavi era serve, and how did they reflect the government’s objectives within the public sphere? Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, this research systematically examines library sources—particularly archival documents and contemporary newspapers—and applies semiotic analysis to elucidate how the iconography of Pahlavi-era sculptures influenced and permeated the ideological landscape of the time. The findings reveal that sculpture in Reza Shah’s reign fulfilled explicit political, social, and cultural roles, shaped by the court’s policies and the perspectives of the era’s intellectual elites. While these monuments were intended as unifying symbols of progress, their reception among the public varied considerably depending on subject matter and the prevailing political climate.
Keywords: Statue, First Pahlavi, Nationalism, Modernization, Political Cultural Function.
 
Introduction
From the dawn of human existence on Earth, art has been among the earliest skills humans acquired alongside other demanding aspects of daily survival. Cave paintings and the creation of figurines and sculptures are considered among the first decorative and representational art forms, dating back between 70,000 and 30,000 years. At a time when written language and verbal communication were in their nascent and rudimentary stages, humans were inclined to depict their perceptions and share them with others through painting and sculpture. These artistic expressions were not mere entertainment; they often conveyed messages or purposes—sometimes intended for future generations. Gradually, humans advanced from depicting observable realities to expressing imaginative and abstract ideas through sculpture. One of the earliest known figurines, discovered in a cave in France, had a human body and a lion’s head, possibly serving both as a decorative piece and a ritualistic symbol (Harari, 2017: 46–47).
With the formation of early civilizations, sculpture became a central part of people’s lives. As societies developed systems of worship, they sought tangible representations of their gods or God to foster a sense of divine presence. Consequently, beyond their ceremonial and decorative functions, certain sculptures became highly revered religious symbols (Gombrich, 2015: 72). In ancient Iran, with the emergence of early civilizations and urban societies, sculpture stood out as a prominent art form. This is evident in the diversity of sculptural artifacts discovered throughout the Iranian plateau. Monumental sculpture became more pronounced during the Achaemenid and Sassanid empires, as observed in sites such as Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam, Naqsh-e Rajab, Bishapur cave, the Behistun Inscription, Taq-e Bostan, and others (Dadvar & Gharbi, 2012: 43, 89, 97–98, 149, 154, 157, 179). Many of these sculptures and reliefs carried significant political, religious, and social messages.
With the advent of Islam in Iran, and given Islam’s strict opposition to idolatry in its Arabian roots, sculpture and figurative art were declared forbidden. As a result, architectural decoration turned predominantly toward arabesque and floral patterns. Consequently, Islamic dynasties in Iran largely disregarded sculpture, except during the Mongol and Ilkhanid periods, when rulers with Buddhist or Christian inclinations briefly revived it (Bayani, 2012: 173).
Interest in sculpture resurfaced more prominently during the Qajar era, especially under Fath-Ali Shah. In pursuit of political legitimacy, Fath-Ali Shah initiated various propagandistic strategies, possibly inspired by his early exposure to pre-Islamic relics during his governorship in Fars. He ordered the creation of royal reliefs in Rey and Taq-e Bostan (Floor, 2015: 335, 337). His successors, Mohammad Shah and Naser al-Din Shah, also engaged in the creation of royal reliefs for their tombs (Seyed-Bankdar & Emami-Jom’eh, 2018: 110, 120; Floor, 2015: 332). Iranian diplomats and students in Europe were influenced by Western sculptural traditions, with some even commissioning statues of themselves (Shirazi, 1983: 378; Vahdat, 2017: 22). Naser al-Din Shah, for example, ordered the importation of European sculptures and commissioned a cast-iron equestrian statue of himself (Rasouli, 2016: 90–92; E'temad al-Saltaneh, 2010: 496, 597; Afzal al-Mulk, 1982: 400–401; Curzon, 2001: vol. 1, p. 765; Mostowfi, 2005: vol. 1, p. 366; 'Ayn al-Saltaneh, 1995: vol. 1, p. 178).
With the rise of Reza Shah Pahlavi, sculpture entered a new political phase. Reza Shah viewed sculpture as a strategic tool for political purposes. One of his earliest actions was the symbolic destruction of the equestrian statue of Naser al-Din Shah in Bagh-e Shah Square, under the pretense of using the metal for arms production (Mahbubi Ardakani, 1995: vol. 2, p. 664). In contrast, Reza Shah, aligned with anti-Qajar sentiments, ordered the creation of numerous statues to project his own power and propagate his ideological agenda.
In addition to erasing the Qajar legacy, Reza Shah aimed to cement his political authority in the public consciousness by installing statues in prominent urban locations. These statues, inspired by ancient Iranian symbolism and modern Western styles, were fundamentally based on the three ideological pillars of nationalism, revivalism, and modernization. Among these, statues portraying Reza Shah held the highest political and social significance, serving not only decorative functions but also as tools for shaping public perception of the regime. Sculpture thus became more than an artistic endeavor—it was a calculated medium for influencing the collective mindset of the nation.
The Pahlavi regime sought to distinguish itself from the Qajars by using sculpture to portray a new, authoritarian, and distinctly modern state. Reza Shah, alongside the intellectual elite, utilized public statuary to convey that the new regime aimed to revive and modernize Iranian civilization. The regime’s extensive use of sculpture in political, social, and cultural domains was part of a broader strategy to normalize modernism, nationalism, and secular governance within Iran’s traditionally religious society. Through repetition of symbols and national motifs, the regime hoped to shape a mental environment conducive to accepting its newly founded institutions and ideological foundations.
 
Materials & Methods
This study seeks to answer the following questions: What were the political, social, and cultural functions of statues created during the early Pahlavi period? How did these statues reflect and promote the regime’s policies? What role did they play in shaping public opinion and societal consciousness regarding authority and power? Which symbols were recurrent, and what did they signify?
Using a descriptive-analytical method, this research relies on historical documents, library sources, and Pahlavi-era newspapers to trace the evolution of sculpture and its sociopolitical functions. Furthermore, it employs semiotic analysis to decode the symbolic language of Pahlavi-era statues and assess how these visual signs contributed to shaping the public’s ideological landscape.
 
Discussion & Results
the research findings indicate that sculpture during this period experienced significant growth due to the ruling elite’s favorable attitude toward the art. Nevertheless, most sculptures were created in alignment with state policies and served the defined political, social, and cultural functions envisioned by the statesmen, elites, and intellectuals of the Pahlavi era. The Pahlavi regime sought to legitimize itself and promote the principles of nationalism, ancient heritage revival, and modernization through the medium of sculpture. The recurring symbols and signs—particularly those used in statues of Reza Shah—demonstrate the potential of this art form in government propaganda and in shaping public perception.
Another result of the study is that since the art of sculpture was still in its early stages in Pahlavi-era Iran, many commissions were assigned to European artists. Gradually, Iranian artists began to enter the field of sculpture-making, often working alongside European masters to acquire skills and experience. It is also important to note that, given the high costs involved in producing such artworks—which required substantial state budgets—most sculptures were created as commissioned works in line with government policies.
 
Conclusion
With the success of Reza Shah and the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty, more attention was paid to the art of sculpture, and during this period, the art of sculpture made great progress. In this period, the elites and intellectuals of the court and the government, in order to create a new identity, took Reza Shah with them in the tendencies of nationalism, archaism and modernism. Paying attention to the art of sculpture was one of the results of these three trends. In other words, the Pahlavi Dynasty had a political, social and cultural approach to sculpture according to the mentioned trends. The process of political and social developments in the contemporary history of Iran showed that statues have the ability to represent the existence of a specific system and thinking at the level of society, and have an influential role. For this reason, Reza Shah and his government, in order to make the presence of himself and his government as prominent as possible, as well as following the above-mentioned policies and trends, started building and installing statues of the Shah in the main centers of the cities. The authoritarianism and display of the king's power and glory in these statues were not only decorative and ceremonial and had a direct relationship with his dominance and Pahlavi's view on all political, social and cultural levels of society. The establishment of the National Artifacts Association and its actions, including the sculpting of celebrities, were under the cultural approach and function of sculptures; but due to the fact that throughout Iran's history, politicization often casts a shadow on many issues, sometimes these cultural actions were also stained and polluted by politics. It was on this basis that in order to show and justify Reza Shah's genius and charisma, his statue was placed next to the statues of other kings of Iran.
With the fall of Reza Shah, following the removal of the Shah's statues, the political function of his statues was affected. However, after that, his statues were again installed in places; But these events showed that the sculptures have become influential in the process of political and social transformations in the contemporary history of Iran. In other words, the statues will have a political, social and cultural role along with the changes of the time and as a representative of the ruling system and thought, they are present and present at the level of the society and whenever there is a deep change and transformation at different levels of the society, these changes are noticed. There will be statues too.