2024 - Postgrad Award: Elnaz Latifpour
Elnaz Latifpour’s doctoral research in Germany, supported by The Barakat Trust, focuses on one of Iran’s most significant religious and artistic sites — the Imam Reza Shrine complex in Mashhad. While much attention has been paid to the architectural grandeur of the shrine, Elnaz is the first to systematically study its extensive calligraphic and ornamental programmes.
Her project traces how inscriptions and decorative schemes evolved over time, from the Timurid period through the Safavid and Qajar eras, and how these elements reflect changing religious, political, and artistic dynamics. By combining architectural analysis with the study of epigraphy and ornament, Elnaz is uncovering how the shrine’s decoration acted as a living text, communicating power, piety, and ideology to its viewers.
Elnaz is currently completing her PhD at the University of Bamberg, Germany. The support from The Barakat Trust enables her to access key archives and collections. This research will result in the first comprehensive publication on the shrine’s calligraphic and decorative history, contributing to both Iranian art history and the broader understanding of Islamic architectural heritage.













