A brief history of Persian Miniature By: Katy Kianush, September 1998
It is difficult to trace the origins of the art of Persian miniature, as it reached its peak mainly during the Mongol and Timurid periods (13th - 16th Century). Mongolian rulers of Iran instilled the cult of Chinese painting and brought with them a great number of Chinese artisans. Paper itself, reached Persia from China in 753 AD. Hence, the Chinese influence is very strong.
The most important function of miniature was illustration. It gave a visual image to the literary plot, making it more enjoyable, and easier to understand. Miniature developed into a marriage of artistic and poetic languages and obtained a deep and sincere accordance with poetry.
During the last ten centuries there have been many great literary works to inspire the great artists of their day. At the end of the 10th Century, Ferdowsi created his immortal epic poem "Shahnameh" (The Book of Kings), which at some 50 thousand couplets, relates through fact and legend, the history of the country from the creation of the world to the Arab conquests in the 7th Century. In the 12th Century, the poet Nezami created his romantic "Khamsa" (five stories in verse), which was very popular, and was imitated several times by Indian poets writing in Persian.
The 13th Century saw the creation of great works by Saadi, the author of the famous "Bustan" and "Golestan". Golestan is a collection of moralizing and entertaining anecdotes and proverbs written in elegant rhymed prose, and at intervals, with fitting lines of verse. Bustan is a didactic poem, lyrical in tone and anecdotal in composition. It is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Persian literature. In the 14th Century, there were enlightening and romantic works by Amir Khosroe Dehlavi, Khajoo Kermani, Hafez, and Kamal Khodjandi. While the 15th Century was the time for the many faceted poet Jami, who wrote the seven epic poems called "Haft Owrang"(The Seven Thrones or Ursa Major). His poetry embraced all the different categories of preceding literature.
This great wealth of inspiring literature gave rise to the emergence of many important miniature schools, each with its own unique style, creating a great diversity of paintings. It was through these schools that miniature painting achieved its splendid development both in Iran and central Asia. Three of the most influential schools were in Shiraz, Tabriz, and Herat.
In the 13th and 14th Centuries Shiraz, the capital of Fars witnessed a new rise in the development of its cultural life. This was the time of Saadi, Khajoo Kermani, and Hafez. Poetry flourished and so did miniature. One of the most important works for the illustrators of the period was "Shahnamah", and in Shiraz there were a large staff of painters dedicated to it. In the Shiraz miniatures of the 14th Century, symmetry of construction was predominant, and for the most part composition was frieze-like, straightforward and monotonous.
Nevertheless, the Shiraz school was to have great influence throughout Iran, and by the end of the 15th Century it was producing miniatures of highest quality. The illustrations for "Khamseh" (1491) by Nezami serve as an example of Shiraz art at its peak. All is complete, and clear, both in composition and the distribution of detail, and in the outline of the silhouettes. The lines are firm and confident.
At the close of the 13th Century, the Tabriz school of art had been established. The early artistic development of the Tabriz school differed from that of Shiraz, as their illustrations tended to combine Far Eastern traits with the Armeno-Byzantine style of painting. This latter influence can be explained by the geographical situation of Tabriz, which is on the frontier of the Armenian region. Closer relations sprung up between different artistic styles of Shiraz and Tabriz art schools at the beginning of the 15th Century. This time is connected with a great migration of painters which begun after Timur had conquered Baghdad (in 1393, 1401) and Tabriz (1402). Many of them were brought to Samarkand, the capital of the conqueror, as well as to the court of his grandson, Iskandar Sultan, the ruler of Shiraz. In the new studios they adapted to the already existing ideas and tastes, but at the same time they introduced much of the traditions they had followed long before the migration.
In the 16th Century, on the vast territories of Iran and central Asia, poetry by Jami was extremely popular, and it enriched the art of painting with new themes. This was the start of great development throughout the various schools of art in Iran. In the Tabriz miniatures of the period, there appeared a magnificent ability to create within a limited space, a full illusion of a particular scene or landscape; for example, a picture of a palace building, including part of its yard, inner garden and the palace interior.
Architecture and landscape from now on were included as fully as possible. The figures within the composition were no longer constrained and static, and were painted in a more lively and natural way.
In the first half of the 15th Century an art school was established in Herat. The very best of the artists in the Tabriz and Shiraz schools moved here. In the early Herat miniatures figure painting became much more skilful and drawing gained greater accuracy. As the skill of the painters increased, the figures were placed more confidently and the rythmic structure of the composition became more complicated. The Herat artists were exceptional at portraying people, making the surrounding a mere accompaniment.
One of the best known and most influential painters from the Herat school was Kamal-od-Din Behzad, whose creative art was greatly influenced by the works of the poets Jami and Navai. In his own works there appeared a unique attention to portraying not just people but what surrounded them in their daily lives. Behzad's paintings brought miniature to its genuine bloom. He shared the fame of Herat painting with other outstanding miniature painters of the time: his teacher and the head of the court studio, Mirak Nakkash, Kasim 'Ali, Khwadja Muhammad Nakkash, and Shah Muzaffar.
The theme of miniatures became more limited as time went by. In the 17th Century there were mainly love scenes, portraits and some even copied European pictures. In the 18th Century there appeared a new genre of flowers and birds. Girl smoking, Muhammad Qasim, Isfahan, 17th c Kamaleddin Behzad Construction of the fort of Kharnaq c. 1494-1495 Deutsch: British Museum
Based on the figures and motifs Mani, the Iranian prophet, Painter and Calligrapher, has painted in his book in the 3rd century, he can be considered the pioneer of painting miniature. Mani introduced himself a prophet during Sassanians and presented a pictorial book called Arzhang. He had his particular style in painting characterized by detailed small figures and motifs.
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The Persian miniatures are similar to the Moghul miniatures and painting.The Moghul miniatures and pictures of shah Jahan, Akbar, Aurangzeb are very beautiful more beautiful then the Persian.
The Moghul civilization of India was a very sophisticated civilization. They weared beautiful colored silk clothes .Emperor Shah jahan build the beautiful white marble Taj Mahal building.
Lioness please post the beautiful pictures of the Moghul Emperor.
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Mughal miniture: Govardhan. Akbar With Lion and Calf ca. 1630, Metmuseum
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. Aurangzeb holds court, as painted by (perhaps) Bichitr; Shaistah Khan stands behind Prince Muhammad Azam
Mughal painting |Mongol| is a particular style of South Asian painting, generally confined to miniatures either as book illustrations or as single works to be kept in albums, which emerged from Mongol Persian miniature painting, with Indian Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist influences, and developed largely in the court of the Mughal Empire (Mongol 16th - 19th centuries), and later spread to other Indian courts, both Muslim and Hindu, and later Sikh.
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quote:Originally posted by mena7: The Persian miniatures are similar to the Moghul miniatures and painting.The Moghul miniatures and pictures of shah Jahan, Akbar, Aurangzeb are very beautiful more beautiful then the Persian.
The Moghul civilization of India was a very sophisticated civilization. They weared beautiful colored silk clothes .Emperor Shah jahan build the beautiful white marble Taj Mahal building.
Lioness please post the beautiful pictures of the Moghul Emperor.
mena7, You really must look deeper and think deeper.
The Persians had very little to offer the world, because they were a conquering people, not a "Cultural" people. Therefore they depended on the Elamite and Sumerian/Babylonian people to supply Persian contributions to the cultural world.
The Mughal emperors were Muslims and direct descendants of Genghis Khan through Chagatai Khan and Timur.
THESE PEOPLE WERE MONGOLIANS WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO BUILD A HOUSE! AND MUSLIMS STILL HAVE NO ARTISTIC SKILLS.
Now do you REALLY think that it was Muslim Mongolians who are responsible for what is called Mughal art?
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The Mughal Empire or Mogul/Moghul Empire, was an imperial power in the Indian subcontinent from about 1526 to 1757. The Mughal emperors were Muslims and direct descendants of the Mongol Genghis Khan through Chagatai Khan and Timur. At the height of their power in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, they controlled most of the subcontinent—extending from Bengal in the east to Balochistan in the west, Kashmir in the north to the Kaveri basin in the south. Its population at that time has been estimated as between 110 and 150 million, over a territory of more than 3.2 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles).
The "classic period" of the empire started in 1556 with the accession of Akbar the Great. Under his rule, India enjoyed much cultural and economic progress as well as religious harmony. Akbar was a successful warrior; he also forged martial alliances with several Hindu Rajput kingdoms. Some Rajput kingdoms continued to pose a significant threat to Mughal dominance of northwestern India, but they were subdued by Akbar.
The reign of Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor, was the golden age of Mughal architecture and the arts. He erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the legendary Taj Mahal at Agra, as well as the Pearl Mosque, the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid of Delhi, and the Lahore Fort. (Mongols were of course not an artistic people, so works of art and building were of course done by local architects and artisans).
The Mughal Empire reached the zenith of its territorial expansion during the reign of Aurangzeb. During his lifetime, victories in the south expanded the Mughal Empire to more than 1.25 million square miles, ruling over more than 150 million subjects, nearly 1/4th of the world's population.
By the mid-18th century, the Marathas (an Indian warrior caste) had ravaged the Mughal provinces from the Deccan to Bengal, and internal dissatisfaction (as well as separatist agendas from the Rajputs, Sikhs, and Jats) arose due to the weakness of the Mughal Empire's administrative and economic systems. In 1739, a weakened Mughal Empire was defeated in the Battle of Karnal by the forces of Nader Shah, making Mughal power severely limited. The last emperor, Bahadur Shah II had authority over only the city of Shahjahanabad. He supported the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and was overthrown by the British, and the last remnants of the empire were taken over by the British Raj.
quote:Originally posted by Mike111: AND MUSLIMS STILL HAVE NO ARTISTIC SKILLS.
Muslims have great caligraphy, great geometric painting, and great architecture. It doesn't matter if they learned certain things from the Greeks or other prececessors because they advanced and in some cases improved on what they learned. Their art and architecure looks different than Greek architecture and Mosques look different frorm Gothic cathedrals. They did not focus on painting as much because making illustrations of stories from the Koran was somewhat prohibited. You don't have the ability to build on and advance knowledge.. You are only able to cry and endless river. Persians are known for their poetry, road systems, Persepolis etc. and they also did some nasty conquering. It's a mixed bag like most civilizations.
Your theory is that somebody who invented the automobile is stupid because they ripped off the person who invented the wheel. You also assume that if one population conquers another and occupies their land they must be stupid and have learned everything they know from the people they occupied. The reality is they may or may not have learned some things from the local people, it varies. The person who invented the steam engine was stupid because he ripped off the person who first boiled a pot of water, yes Mike.
quote:Originally posted by Mike111: "The Persians had very little to offer the world, because they were a conquering people, not a "Cultural" people"
Thats a non sequitur the Egyptians and Greeks were also a conquering people and a Cultural" people. The Europeans slaughtered and exploited the Central Americans. This was authorized and financed by the Holy Roman Spanish emperors and you are in love with these inbreds. Does this mean they learned everything they knew from the Mesoamericans and that the Mesoamericans were all sweet and peaceful? No, they had their own wars and large scale human sacrifice operations. Almost all civilizations and tribes have war in their history. There may be exceptions but they are few.
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Illustrations from a Manuscript of the Rasikapriya of Kesava Das - Mughal Period Early 17th Century
Keshavdas (1555 – 1617) was a Sanskrit scholar and Hindi poet, best known for his Rasik Priya, a pioneering work of the riti kaal (procedure period) of Hindi literature.
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(notice earring) Jadun Rai, Deccani Jafar, servant of Abul Hasan Hyderabadi Jafar Khan, Diwan Jumdatul-Mulk and Madarul-Maham Jagdev Jagir Jagirdaran Jagdiwandas,
The Deccani (lanuguage: Dakhini)
The Deccani live on the so-called "tableland" of central India, between the Godavari and Manjra Rivers. They are primarily concentrated in central Maharashtra State and in the arid Deccan Plateau. They also live in major cites such as Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, as well as various rural areas.
Beginning in the 1100's, Muslim rulers conquered most of northern India. They then moved southward to subdue the Deccan Plateau, a region that was populated by many Dravidian-speaking Muslims.
A distinct Islamic culture developed in the Deccan region, and it became the greatest center of Arabic learning in India until the Moghul conquest of 1687. In 1724, the Deccani regained power and became princely rulers. However, in 1948, when India declared its independence, they were forced under Hindu rule. Many emigrated to Pakistan; those who remained are now a minority group of Muslims. What are their lives like? When the government of India ended Muslim rule, the Deccani were converted from princely rulers, military officers, and wealthy landowners to blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and carpenters. Muslim professionals adjusted more easily, entering banking, business, and employment as scientists and teachers. The former servants of the established Muslim government and nobility are now living on small pensions or the meager incomes of family members.
In the countryside, Deccani Muslim culture embraces a mixture of Hindu and Muslim elements. However, much bitterness remains, due to the loss of their former glory. The educated urban population, which consists of only one-quarter of the Deccani, lives a more secular modern life and has very little in common with the conservative urban Muslim community and religious leaders.
The social lives of the Deccani center around their local religious community and immediate families. Groups usually cluster around their own local mosques. Intermarriage is rare between the Deccani Muslim castes. Their society is patriarchal, which means that the fathers have absolute authority in the homes. Most women wear veils while in public. Each home contains small shrines in honor of their saints. The shrines are decorated with banners, flowers, and bright paintings of tigers.
Deccani Muslims honor learning and place a great emphasis on the arts. Painting is their specialty, especially the beautiful illustrations in poetry books. There are numerous art schools spread throughout the area of the Deccani. Some of these schools were begun as early as the 1500's by the migrating Muslims who were influenced by the famous Persian art.
What are their beliefs? Virtually all of the Deccani are devout Muslims. They worship, play instruments, and sing at the ancient graves of their saints. Worship of saints is very common, and the extravagant decorations over their graves attract even the Hindus. As a whole, Islam in India include strong elements of mysticism.
The Deccani Muslims have been challenged in their religious beliefs by the Dravidians and various other Muslim sects that migrated into the Deccan Plateau long ago. Their religion, language, and ethnic recognition were belittled and discriminated against by the new Hindu Indian government. As a result, they have seemingly lost a vitality for Islam. It is no longer a spiritual lifestyle to them, but is more a part of their identity as a people.
What are their needs? Deprived of their former sources of wealth and power, many Deccani have given way to deep destitution and despair. They have struggled long and hard to maintain their culture, beliefs, and pride.
The Nizam of Hyderabad was earlier the Mughal Viceroy of the Deccan. However, with the decline of the Mughals the Deccan attained independence, though the first Nizam continued to owe allegiance to the Mughal Emperor. The Deccan territories were thus the last survivors of the Mughal empire, along with the Princely state of Awadh (in North India). These territories soon came to be known as the 'Nizam's Dominions',
The region became part of the Mughal Empire in the 1680s. When the empire began to weaken in the 18th century, a Mughal official, Asif Jah, defeated a rival Mughal governor's attempt to seize control of the empire's southern provinces, declaring himself Nizam-al-Mulk of Hyderabad in 1724. The Mughal emperor, under renewed attack from the Marathas, was unable to prevent it.
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