lively body； her mouth which never stopped moving； and her eyebrows and
eyes which twitched madly and signaled to me； indeed； this is how she was
among the shopping slave women； the women wearing the faded and loose
caftans of poor neighborhoods and among the crowds that had lost
themselves amid carrots； quinces and small bundles of onions and turnips。
She stuffed the letter I gave her into her shalwar pants with an adept and
mysterious gesture； as if the whole market were spying upon us。 She told me
that Shekure was thinking of me。 She took her baksheesh and when I said；
“Please； make haste and deliver it straightaway；” she indicated that she still
had quite a lot of work to do by gesturing toward her bundle and said that she
only could deliver the letter to Shekure toward midday。 I asked her to tell
Shekure that I’d gone to pay visits to the three young and renowned master
miniaturists。
69
I AM CALLED “BUTTERFLY”
The midday prayers had yet to be called。 A knock at the door： I opened it to
find Black Effendi； who was among us for a while during our apprenticeships。
We embraced and kissed on the cheeks。 I was wondering whether he’d
brought some word from his Enishte； when he said that he wanted to look at
the pages I’d been illustrating and at my paintings； that he’d called in
friendship； and was going to direct a question to me in the name of Our
Sultan。 “Very well；” I said； “ to answer？”
He told me。 Very well； then！
Style and Signature
“As long as the number of worthless artists motivated by money and fame
instead of the pleasure of seeing and a belief in their craft increases；” I said；
“we will continue to witness much more vulgarity and greed akin to this
preoccupation with ”style‘ and “signature。”“ I made this introduction because
this was the way it is done； not because I believed what I said。 True ability and
talent couldn’t be corrupted even by the love of gold or fame。 Furthermore； if
truth be told； money and fame are the inalienable rights of the talented； as in
my case； and only inspire us to greater feats。 But if I were to say this openly；
the mediocre illustrators in the miniaturists’ division； rabid with envy； would
pounce upon me； so； to prove that I love this work more than they themselves
do； I’ll paint the picture of a tree on a grain of rice。 I’m well aware that this
lust for ”style；“ ”signature’ and “character‘ has e to us all the way from
the East by way of certain unfortunate Chinese masters who’ve been led astray
under the influence of the Europeans； by pictures brought there from the West
by Jesuit priests。 Nevertheless； let me tell you three parables that prise a
recital on this topic。”
70
Three Parables on Style and Signature
ALIF
Once upon a time； to the North of Herat； in a mountain castle； there lived a
young Khan who was fascinated with illuminating and painting。 This Khan
loved only one of the women in his harem； and this striking Tatar woman；
whom he loved madly； loved him in return。 They engaged in such bouts of
lovemaking； sweating until morning； and lived in such ecstasy that their only
wish was to live eternally。 They soon discovered the best way to realize their
wish was by opening books and gazing； for hours and hours and days on end；
upon the astounding and flawless pictures of the old masters。 As they stared at
these perfect renderings； unfalteringly reproduced； they felt as though time
would stop and their own felicity would mingle with the bliss of the golden
age revealed in the stories。 In the royal bookmaker’s workshop； there was a
miniaturist； a master of masters； who made the same flawless pieces over and
over for the same pages of the same books。 As was his custom； the master
depicted the anguish of Ferhad’s love for Shirin； or the loving and desirous
glances between Leyla and Mejnun； or the duplicitous； suggestive looks Hüsrev
and Shirin exchanged in that fabled heavenly garden—with one slight
alteration however： In place of these legendary lovers； the artist would paint
the Khan and his Tatar beauty。 Beholding these pages； the Khan and his
beloved were thoroughly convinced that their rapture would never end； and
they showered the master miniaturist with praises and gold。 Eventually；
however； this adulation caused the miniaturist to stray from good sense；
incited by the Devil； he dismissed the fact that he was beholden to the old
masters for the perfection of his pictures； and haughtily assumed that a touch
of his own genius would make his work even more appealing。 The Khan and
his beloved； considering these innovations—the personal stylistic touches of
the master miniaturist—nothing but imperfections； were deeply disturbed by
them。 In the paintings； which the Khan observed at length； he felt that his
former bliss had been disrupted in numerous ways； and he grew increasingly
jealous of his Tatar beauty who was depicted with the individual touch of the
painter。 So； with the intention of making his pretty Tatar jealous； he made love
with another concubine。 His beloved was so bereft upon learning of this
betrayal from the harem gossips that she silently hanged herself from a cedar
tree in the harem courtyard。 The Khan； understanding the mistake he’d made
and realizing that the miniaturist’s own fascination with style lay behind this
terrible incident； immediately blinded this master artist whom the Devil had
tempted。
71
BA
Once upon a time in a country in the East there was an elderly Sultan； a lover
of illustrations； illuminations and miniatures； who lived happily with his
Chinese wife of unsurpassed beauty。 Alas； it soon happened that the Sultan’s
handsome son from a previous marriage and the Sultan’s young wife had
bee enamored of each other。 The son； who lived in terror of his treachery
against his father； and ashamed of his forbidden love； sequestered himself in
the bookmaker’s workshop and gave himself over to painting。 Since he painted
out of the sorrow and strength of his love； each of his paintings was so
magnificent that admirers couldn’t distinguish them from the work of the old
masters。 The Sultan took great pride in his son； and his young Chinese wife
would say； “Yes； magnificent！” as she looked upon the paintings。 “Yet； time will
surely pass； and if he doesn’t sign his work； no one will know that he was the
one responsible for this majesty。” The Sultan responded； “If my son signs his
paintings； won’t he be unjustly taking credit for the techniques and styles of
the old masters； which he has imitated？ Moreover； if he signs his work； won’t
he be saying ”My paintings bear my imperfections‘？“ The Chinese wife； seeing
that she wouldn’t be able to convince her elderly husband on this issue of
signature； was； however； eventually successful in persuading his young son；
confined； as always； in the bookmaker’s workshop。 Humiliated at having to
conceal his love； persuaded by his pretty young stepmother’s ideas and with
the Devil’s coercion； the son signed his name in a corner of a painting；
between wall and grass； in a spot he assumed was beyond notice。 This； the first
picture he signed； was a scene from Hüsrev and Shirin。 You know the one： After
Hüsrev and Shirin are wed； Shiruye； Hüsrev’s son from his first marriage； falls
in love with Shirin。 One night； entering their bedchamber through the
window； Shiruye swiftly sinks his dagger into his father’s chest。 When the
Sultan saw his son’s depiction of this scene； he was overe with the sense
that the painting embodied some flaw； he’d seen the signature； but wasn’t
consciously aware of it； and he simply reacted to the picture with the thought；
”This painting bears a flaw。“ And since one would never expect any such thing
from the old masters； the Sultan was seized by a kind of panic； suspecting that
this volume he was reading recounted not a story or a legend； but what was
most unbefitting a book： reality itself。 When the elderly man sensed this； he
was overe with terror。 His illustrator son had entered through the
window； as in the painting； and without even looking twice at his father’s
bulging eyes； swiftly drove his dagger—as large as the one in the painting—
into his father’s chest。
72
DJIM
In his History； Rashiduddin of Kazvin merrily writes that 250 years ago in
Kazvin； manuscript illumination； calligraphy and illustration were the most
esteemed and beloved arts。 The reigning Shah in Kazvin at that time ruled over
forty countries from Byzantium to China—perhaps the love of book arts was
the secret of this great power—but alas； he had no male heir。 To prevent the
lands he’d conquered from being divided up after his death； the Shah decided
to find a bright miniaturist husband for his beautiful daughter； and toward
this end； arranged a petition among the three great young masters of his
atelier； all of whom were bachelors。 According to Rashiduddin’s History； the
object of the petition was very simple： Whoever made the most
remarkable painting would be the victor！ Like Rashiduddin himself； the young
miniaturists knew that this meant painting in the manner of the old masters；
and thus； each of the three made a rendition of the most widely liked scene： In
a garden reminiscent of Heaven itself； a young and beautiful maiden stood
amid cypress and cedar trees； among timid rabbits and anxious swallows；
immersed in lovelorn grief； staring at the ground。 Unknowingly； the three
miniatur