The wall paintings of religious buildings from the Qajar era are important sources for the study of Islamic art and religious iconography in Iran. The deer motif in these works, as a symbolic elemental creature, carries multiple and layered meanings. The present study aims to analyze the functions of the deer motif in the narrative structure and symbolic system of these artworks. This research seeks to answer two main questions: How can the deer motif in the wall paintings of Qajar-era religious buildings be thematically and semantically classified? What functions does this motif serve within the narrative structure and symbolic system of these religious wall paintings?

The research method is based on the iconographic and iconological approach of Erwin Panofsky, employing a qualitative methodology. Based on the findings, the deer motif can be classified into six semantic and eight thematic patterns, including: aesthetic-decorative (ornamentation), allegorical-mystical (desert), narrative-religious (guarantor deer, deer and the Prophet, deer and Sultan Qays), ritual-allegorical (battle), symbolic-allegorical (deer and lion), and narrative-indigenous mythological (deer hunting). Depending on the narrative context, it performs functions such as representing sacred concepts, intercession, purity, innocence, and the contrast between good and evil.

The results indicate that the deer motif in the Qajar-era religious wall paintings is multilayered and narrative-dependent, holding an important position in the symbolic system of religious art of this period. Its analysis through the iconological approach illuminates the semantic layers and visual functions of this motif and demonstrates the effective role of animal imagery in conveying religious concepts.