Persian miniature

The themes of Persian art and thus the Persian miniature painting is mostly related to the Persian mythology and poetry. Western artists discovered the Persian miniatures at the beginning of the 20th century. Persian miniature painting used clear geometric shapes and powerful colors. The lure of Persian miniatures is the intriguing complexity and the surprising way in which major questions the nature of the arts will be addressed and the perception of the masterpieces of Persian miniatures.

It is difficult to trace the origins of the art of miniature painting. However, it is known that it reached its peak mainly during the reign of the Mongols and Timurids (. 13th-16th century). Mongolian rulers of Iran caused a Chinese painting. Paper reached Iran from China in the year 753 from these developments is the strong Chinese influence apparent.

History

The most important function of miniatures was the illustration. They gave the stories of Persian literature a face, so that one could understand the plot easily. Miniatures were created as an artistic addition to the poetry and include a deep connection to the seal. From pre-Islamic Iranian artists only Mani is known as a great painter.

During the last ten centuries, many great works of Persian literature were written, the artists inspire to this day. At the end of the tenth century Ferdowsi created his immortal life's work, the Shahnameh. This epic describes as a book of the kings of the history of Iran in more than 55,000 couplets to the going down of Iran by the Arabs in the seventh century storm. In the twelfth century Nesami wrote his epic love anchovy, which was copied due to its popularity often. The 13th century coined Saadi, author of the famous works Bustan and Golestan. The latter is a collection of moral and entertaining anecdotes and proverbs written in elegant prose interspersed with verse. The didactic poem Bustan is considered a masterpiece of Persian literature.

In the 14th century the works of Amir Chosro Dehlawi, Chadschu Kermani, Hafez and Kamal Chodschandi were written. During the 15th century had the multifaceted work of the poet Jami.

This wealth of inspiring literature was the possibility that many important miniature schools were founded. Each of them had their own style, creating a great variety of portraits could arise. These schools, the shining achievements bewerkstelligten in the development of painting on Iranian cultural area were. Three of the most influential schools were in Shiraz, Tabriz and Herat.

In the 13th and 14th century Shiraz was the capital of Fars province, witnessed a new rise of cultural life. At that time lived Saadi Kermani, and Hafez. The poetry flourished and with it the miniature painting. One of the most important works of painters was the Shahnameh, and in Shiraz there were many artists who were dedicated to this topic. In the Shiraz miniatures of the 14th century, a symmetrical structure was predominant, most parts of the rather monotonous compositions had similar friezes. Nevertheless, the Shiraz School had great influence in Iran, and towards the end of the 15th century miniatures highest quality were produced. The images for Nesamis Chamseh serve as an example of the ski racers craftsmanship in perfection.

At the end of the 13th century Tabriser was founded art school. Early artistic achievements of Tabriser school differed from those of Shiraz, in so far as their illustrations tended to the Far East and to combine the Armeno -Byzantine style of painting. This newer influence can be explained by the geographical location of Tabriz, the city is situated very close to the border with Armenia. In addition, the Mongols were strongly represented in Tabriz.

Closer relations between the different art styles of Shiraz and Tabriz grew in the early 15th century. This date is closely connected with the great emigration of the painters that were triggered by the campaigns of Timur against Baghdad and Tabriz. Many artists were brought to Samarkand, the capital of the conqueror or to the court of his grandson, Iskandar Sultan, the ruler of Shiraz. These events could arise reinforced traditional portraits, which were, however, associated with new ideas.

In the 16th century poetry mosque was extremely popular in the Iranian cultural area and delivered the painting new designs. This marks the starting point of great development in the various art schools of Iran. Tabriser miniature artist of this period showed himself capable to paint a complete illusion of individual scenes or landscapes to limited space. A well known example is the drawing of a palace with a garden. The attention to detail went so far that even the establishment of the palace can be seen on this picture.

Architecture and landscapes could be incorporated from now on in the compositions. The figures of the portraits were not static but were imaged in a more natural way.

In the first half of the 15th century, an art school in Herat was founded. The leading artists of the schools in Tabriz and Shiraz moved to Herat. In the early Herat miniatures figures in the miniatures were always elaborate and accurate. With these improvements, more complex character constellations could always be realized, which is particularly evident in the portraits.

One of the most famous and influential painters of the Herat school was Kamaleddin Behzad, whose art was heavily influenced by the works of the poet Jami and Navau. His work focused on portraiture, but not only focus on people, but what people were surrounded in everyday life. Behsads painting miniatures brought to real fame. He shared the reputation of the Herat school with other exceptional miniature painters of the time: His teacher, the court painter Mirak Nakkasch, Kasim Ali, Mohammad Chwadscha Nakkasch and Shah Muzaffar.

The variety of miniatures declined over time. In the 17th century there were mainly love scenes and portraits. In the 18th century a new genre, which depicted flowers and birds arose.

In the 20th century there was a revival of Persian miniature painting. Have been widely made ​​reproductions of old models up to this point, so Hossein Behzad has developed an entirely new style similar to European painting style. In Europe, Hossein Behzad best known for his 1915 incurred as a commission illustrations to Nezami Lamsa. 1918 Hossein Behzad took his first trip to Europe. 1935 traveled Hossein Behzad thirteen months after Paris, to study the present in the collections of Persian manuscripts miniatures. After his return in 1936 he began the illustrations for Omar Khayyam Ruba ʿ īyāt in a process developed by his own inimitable style.

Polo game scene from Gi o Chogan, emerged about 1546 under Shah Mahmud, Tabriz

Shah Abbas I and a wine boy, Reza Abbasi, Isfahan, 1627 (Louvre)

Portrait of a Lady, 1640 (British Museum )