What it means
مجسمه (mojassame) means a statue, sculpture, or figurine: any three-dimensional object shaped to represent a form. The word comes directly from Arabic, built on the root ج‑س‑م (j‑s‑m), which relates to the body or physical substance. The Arabic Form II participle pattern gave مجسمه the sense of something given bodily form. In Persian, the word covers everything from ancient bronze figures to modern public installations. The person who makes sculptures is called مجسمهساز (mojassame-sâz).
How to use it
- مجسمه وسط میدون قشنگه. (mojassame-ye vasat-e meydun qashange.) “The statue in the middle of the square is beautiful.”
- موزه پر از مجسمههای قدیمیه. (muze por az mojassamehâ-ye qadimie.) “The museum is full of ancient statues.”
- این مجسمه رو از سنگ تراشیدن. (in mojassame ro az sang tarâshidan.) “They carved this sculpture from stone.”
- مجسمهسازی رشتهی هنره. (mojassame-sâzi rashtei-ye honare.) “Sculpture is an art field.”
Cultural note
Public sculpture in Iran has a layered history. Pre-Islamic Persian art produced remarkable relief carvings at sites such as Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam, and the term مجسمه covers those ancient works as much as modern pieces. After the 1979 revolution, figurative public statues became a sensitive topic, and many pre-revolution monuments were removed or replaced. Contemporary Iranian sculptors nonetheless exhibit internationally and maintain an active practice within the country.