Muharram: Victory of Blood Over the Sword, ca. 1970–1980s
September 25th, 2016
The poster’s title is a reference to the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his male supporters during the Battle of Karbala. As their blood was shed on the battlefield, the droplets of blood “cracked” the sword, signifying their symbolic victory over persecution. Thus, the martyrs’ sacrifice at Karbala is shown as triumphant even in death, a symbolic victory that is extended to Iranian soldiers who died in the Iran-Iraq War.