During their reign, the Qajars brought about transformations in various political, economic, cultural, and artistic spheres. Some of these changes in the field of architecture are evident not only in fundamental structural modifications but also in decorative elements such as tilework. One of the most significant buildings in North Khorasan Province is the Mofakham Mansion complex in the city of Bojnourd, which is adorned with a diverse array of tile motifs. Scholarly studies on the ornamentation of this valuable structure reveal a lack of in-depth research on the motifs of this magnificent building. Addressing this gap could help uncover the unknown artistic-cultural identity of both the city and this historical monument during the Qaja era.To this end, the present study aims to identify the visual characteristics of the motifs in the tilework of the Mirror House and Mofakham Mansion in Bojnourd. The research question is: What visual features are embedded in the motifs of the tilework in the Mofakham Mansion complex in Bojnourd? This study is applied-developmental in purpose, descriptive-analytical in method, and relies on library-documentary and field research for data collection.
The overall findings indicate that the tile motifs of the Mofakham complex include a variety of geometric, floral, animal, hybrid-fantastical, and epigraphic designs. These motifs are often arranged symmetrically within their frames, with the artist achieving balance through the mirroring of elements on the tiles. The elements are depicted in a naturalistic style, adhering to the principle of "unity in multiplicity." The artist meticulously considered each component of the frame individually before rendering it onto the tile surface.