Effects of pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad on painting aesthetics in two Bukhara and Mashhad Schools in Safavid period, century 10 A.H

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1 Effects of pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad on painting aesthetics in two Bukhara and Mashhad Schools in Safavid period, century 10 A.H Elahe Toroghi M.A. student of painting, Faculty of Art and Architecture, The University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Mehdi Akhavian Assistant professor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, The University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran Abstract: Aim of this research is to study effect of pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad on painting aesthetics in two Bukhara and Mashhad Schools in Safavid period, century 10 A.H. Some pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad who were working in the layout workshops of the court of Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqara in Herat immigrated to Bukhara and some of them immigrated to Tabriz after the members of Safavid dynasty occupied Herat and the number of painters who worked in Tabriz court s workshop left for Mashhad in Ebrahim Mirza Workshop. The produced works of Bukhara and Mashhad Schools reflect style of Behzad School in the produced works of these workshops after arrival of the painters of Herat and Tabriz School to these regions. This research has qualitatively studied and analyzed painting works of these two schools to respond to the research question with descriptive historical method. Results and findings of the research show that paintings of Bukhara and Mashhad schools with their few differences have many similarities. These paintings were affected by the artistic features of Herat School before arrival of Behzad s pupils in late century 9 A.H. and Transoxiana paintings but painting of these two schools changed with arrival of Behzad s pupils to Bukhara and Mashhad and pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad could expand features of his style in Bukhara and Mashhad Schools. Keywords: pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad, Bukhara painting, Teimuri painting, Mashhad painting 1- Introduction 338 Manuscripts of Iran which are among the most beautiful samples of Iranian painting are continuously studied by the researchers. Islamic painting art of Iran is one of the evident manifestations of visual experience of Iranian artists which are far from ostentation. Decoding of this art requires study of the historical periods and life of artists living at that period and factors affecting the historical periods. Iranian painting has continually changed. Wars and dominance of different tribes and effect of artistic methods of tribes and support and no support of artists are the factors affecting Iranian painting. Since start of century 16 A.D., the powerful and great government of the Timurids was overthrown and two new Safavid government in Iran and Shibanian government in Central Asia were formed. Shibanian progenitor, Mohammad Khan Shibani, occupied Transoxiana, Kharazm

2 and Balkh regions and Shah Ismaeil, founder of Safavid dynasty occupied lands dominated by Ağ Qoyunlu Kara Koyunlu dynasty in Iran and then Iraq, Fars and Khorasan. Border between two new Safavid and Shibanyeh governments formed Oxus. The first ten years of this century saw wars and struggles for strengthening the bases of government of these two dynasties. Shibanian believed that they were heirs of the Timurids. For this reason, they couldn t accept that Khorasan of which center was Herat is dominated by the Safavid dynasty since 916 A.H. and different wars between these two governments broke out over Khorasan. Shibanians regarded Herat as an integral part of the land dominated by them (Moghadam Ashrafi, 2003:135). Herat city was attacked by Shibanians and Safavids during which many artists either immigrated or transferred some of its manuscripts to Bukhara and Tabriz. Among them, some artists such as Mahmoud Mazhab and Abdollah Khorasani who were regarded as pupils of Behzad went to Bukhara and some artists such as Kamaleddin Behzad, Ghasem Ali, Agha Mirak and Sheikh Zadeh came to Tabriz with Behzad after Shah Ismail Safavi occupied Herat. At that time, Behzad presided over a royal library and trained some pupils. During this term, Sheikh Zadeh moved to Bukhara and brought effects of Tabriz Safasvi School. The Uzbeks were enemies of Safavid and selected it as their capital but this school was not durable and was dissolved in late century 10. During the Safavid government at time of Shah Tahmaseb, he elected his nephew as ruler of Mashhad and Ebrahim Mirza who was interested in art and patron of art founded a workshop in Mashhad and the illustrated manuscript in this school was Haft Orang written by Jami. The artists who worked in the second school of Tabriz went to Ibrahim Mirza Royal Library in Mashhad and manuscripts of this workshop illustrate Haft Orang written by Jami. Among the artists of Mashhad school who have worked on Haft Orang written by Jami and are regarded as pupils of Behzad are Mozafar Ali, Agha Mirak Esfahani and Khajeh AbdolazizKashani who were said by Ali Afandi, friend of Mohammad Govashani and Sadegh Beik Afshar to be the distinguished pupils of Behzad. This research structurally and aesthetically studied works of many pupils of Behzad in Bukhara School such as Mahmoud Mazhab and Sheikh Zadeh and other pupils of Behzad in Mashhad school such as Mozafar Ali, Agha Mirak Esfahani and Khajeh AbdolazizKashani and analyzed similarities and differences of paintings of two schools. The images which have been selected for analysis of paintings of Bukhara and Mashhad school before century 10 A.H. were produced before arrival of Behzad s pupils which have been illustrated in Bukhara and Mashhad regions. Considering the statement of problem, this question arises that: What factors cause similarity in paintings of Bukhara and Mashhad Schools? 2- Hypothesis Since painting was produced as illustration of books in the workshops in the Court complex, role and effect of the workshop supervisor on harmony of these images were highly 339

3 important and pupils of who were affected by his works entered aesthetics of painting style of Behzad in works produced in these workshops and this caused similarities in these two schools. 3- Research method In this paper, the descriptive-analytical method has been used and the necessary information for the research was collected with library and documentary method and only 6 images of the works of pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad were randomly selected in two Bukhara and Mashhad schools and comparatively analyzed Historical trend of Bukhara and Mashhad schools It can be said that the Timurids period is one of the most distinguished painting period of Iran and this painting style was first founded in Shiraz and then reached its own peak at Timurids period in Herat which was their important capital. Herat school included three periods of Shahrokh ruling, Baysanghar ruling and Behzad era. At time of Shahrokh, the previous teachings of the artists were completed and Iranian painting style emerged in Herat. Baysanghar in Herat supported many artists and employed them in their library. Herat painting art reached its own peak at time of Sultan Hossein Bayghara. During this term, Kamaleddin Behzad, one of the greatest Iranian painters could make special change in painting. At Timurids period, Samarghand and Bukhara were the ruling centers of that period. Uzbeks occupied Bukhara by command of Shibani Khan and selected it as their capital. After collapse of Timurids and after death of Sultan Hossein Bayghara, they occupy Khorasan and Herat and they bring the precious works and manuscripts and artists to Bukhara. Therefore, it can be said that Bukhara school is a painting school of Herat which was formed with attack of Uzbeks to Herat and immigration of some artists to Bukhara. Since Shibanbian and Safavian were hostile, Shah Ismail attacks Herat and occupies Herat and brings traditions of Herat school to Tabriz which was its capital. Among them, some artists such as Mahmoud Mazhab, and Abdollah Soltani go to Bukhara when Herat is occupied by Shah Ismail. Some others such as Kamaleddin Behzad and other pupils such as Sheikh Zadeh, Ghasem Ali and Agha Mirak go to Tabriz. This period is one of the most brilliant historical periods of painting art in Iran. In a Safavid royal library, painting art of Tabriz School and Herat School are combined with each other and one of the characteristics of Tabriz painting was mobile composition and radiant colors and characteristics of painting in Herat School were the accounted, balanced and had mild colors and painting art of the second Tabriz school was formed with this composition. During this period, Herat was attacked by Abdollah Khan Shibani for many times and manuscripts and artists such as Sheikh Zadeh were transferred to Bukhara during these attacks. After Shah Ismail, his son, Shah Tahmaseb came to throne. At that time, some 340

4 artists such as Sultan Mohammad, Mozafar Ali, Agha Mirak Isfahani, Abdolaziz Kashani etc. illustrated manuscripts. With elapse of time, interest of Shah Tahmaseb in art was reduced and some other artists went to India. At that time, Sultan Ibrahim Mirza was ruler of Khorasan and founded a workshop in Mashhad and employed experts of Tabriz school. Therefore, it can be said that pupils of Behzad affect paintings of this period by attending Bukhara and Mashhad and expanded Behzad s style. Among pupils of Behzad in Bukhara School are Mahmoud Mazhab, Sheikh Zadeh and Abdollah Khorasani and other pupils of Behzad in Mashhad School are Mozafar Ali, Agha Mirak Isfahani and Khajeh Abdolaziz Kashani Paintings of Bukhara School before century 10 A.H. Considering the style which Turk-Mongol princes applied in Islam eastern world, the Uzbeks started activities for establishment of some workshops libraries in century 10 A.H. in order to add to their reputation and credit. In the first half of century 9 A.H., artistic activities in Samarkand including processing and compilation of manuscripts under supervision of the Timurids were gradually diminished in the second half of the same century.however, in early century 10 A.H., a new native style emerged in Tranxosiana considering products of Herat city which was less similar to the style which was common in Samarkand in the past fifty years (Soodavar, 2001:205). In the images which were obtained from Bukhara school in the periods before century 10, larger image elements were drawn and the number of figures was lower and its size was larger and they are lifeless and immobile. Relation of people with each other is cold, inexpressive and artificial which are expressionless. Heads are round and are larger than bodies. Decorations are limited in the entire work and there are few images of plants and vegetables. In these paintings, mild colors have been used. There are few divisions of levels and details in the work and the entire image has been placed inside the cadre there is no fracture in the cadre. These divisions of levels even can be found in inscriptions and architectural elements. In these paintings, figures are less mobile and don t move at all. In these paintings, warm colors have been more used (Images 1&2). 341

5 Image 1- Divan Hafez, king with the attendants Bukhara Bukhara School, about 931 A.H., kahurakancomplex (Soodavar2001:208) Image 2 - Divan Hafez, feasts in riverside School, about 931 A.H., kahurakan ) kahurakan complex (Soodavar, 2001:209) a. Paintings of Mashhad school before century 10 A.H. Before appointment of Ibrahim Mirza as ruler of Mashhad, artistic activities didn t change in Khorasan and painters of Khorasan followed Herat style in late century 9 A.H. They also utilized the simple features of Tranxosiana paintings such as application of few images of plants and vegetables and mild colors in their paintings. Artists of Ibrahim Mirza Wortkshp Library trabsformed paintings of Khorasan to live and happy style of Mashhad and this encompassed Iranian paintings in the second half of century 10 A.H.(Soodavar, 2001:221). In images of Mashhad school before ruling of Ibrahim Mirza, most of the figures were lifeless and immobile and heads of the figures are round and are larger than the bodies. The entire work was less elaborate. Most of the space was covered by the hills and feelings were less expressed in the entire work and sometimes it was expressionless. In these paintings, few plants and vegetables have been used and the number of figures is lower. The surfaces have fewer divisions and inscriptions have filled the top and bottom of the image. They are placed symmetrically in the entre work. In these images, we observe that no element has been left out of the cadre and the whole event has occurred inside the cadre. Few lines have been used in rocks and hills and few decorations are found in the entire image. There are even no decorations in the cadre. Size of figures and elements is larger in the entire work and hot and mild color has been mostly used (Images 3&4). 342

6 Image 3- Mohr va Moshtari by Asar, meeting va Moshtari in of Shah of the pool and his minister with the 949 A.H. (Soodavar, 2001:222) Image 4- Mohr va Moshtari by Asar, Mohr the presence of shah, pious man, Khorasan, 949 A.H. (Soodavar, 2001:222) b. Studying paintings of Bukhara School in century 10 A.H. Once pupils of Behzad entered the Bukhara school, the old style of Bukhara was abandoned and paintings of this school changed due to pupils of Behzad. In this section, paintings of Bukhara school are analyzed in century 10 A.H. c. Differences and similarities of elements of Bukhara and Mashhad paintings The cliffs in painting of Bukhara school were in the sponge and dispersed form and this style of design of cliffs is found in paintings of Mashhad school. The difference is that lines of designing cliffs in paintings of Bukhara school have been round and circular but cliffs have been drawn in Mashhad school segment by segment with broken lines. Image (5A&B). 343

7 Image (5A) Mashhad School Image (5B) Bukhara School The cliffs in paintings of both schools have been drawn with mild lines which have different tops and downs. Images (6 A&B). Plane trees have broad leaves and strong trunk and there are dry shrubs which have stood out from the cliffs. Image (7A, B, C,D) image (6A) Mashhad school Image (6B) Bukhara school image (7A)Bukhara school Image (7B) Mashhad school image (7C) Bukhara school Image (7D) Mashhad school 344

8 In paintings of Bukhara and Mashhad school, leaves of the plane tree have been drawn similarly to each other. The difference is that leaves have been designed to be coarser, more elaborate, with various colors and high density but in Mashhad school, leaves of plane tree have been dispersed with mild lines and less elaborate design. The shrubs also have broad leaves. Image (8A&B, 9 A&B) Image (8A) Mashhad school Image (8B)-Bukhara school Image (9A) Mashhad school Image (9B)-Bukhara school In these images, it can be found that finishing of horse skin is the same in both schools and white spots have been used on the gray background but form of horse has been drawn in paintings of Bukhara school is thinner with more elaborate and more static head and in paintings of Mashhad school, horses are strong with corpulent statues and thin feet and there is life in them(images 10 A, B, C, D). Image (10A) Mashhad school Image (10B)-Bukhara school 345

9 Image (10C) Mashhad school Image (10D)-Bukhara school In paintings of Bukhara school and Mashhad school, saddle of horse has been drawn in equal form and has the horseshoe form with angled rag or cloth covering the back of the horse and this cloth or rag has been designed in both schools with a margin around it and in one form (images 11A,B). Image (11A) Mashhad school Image (11B) Bukhara school Sheaf has been also designed similarly but the difference is that curved lines of the sheaf in Bukhara school have been drawn with high arch and the designs on it are more delicate and elaborate and it is observed in both schools that the arrows inside the sheaf are similar to each other (image 12 A, B). Image (12A) Mashhad school Image (12B)-Bukhara school 346 General form of the building, fences of garden and ogee arch of the balconies are similar. The difference is that this ogee arch of the balcony is circular in Bukhara school (image

10 13A,B). Decorative margin of roof is also similar but the scalloped designs on margin of roof have been more delicate in Mashhad school. On top of the roof is a small triangular arch which has brick-made texture and its bases have been divided into three levels. This dome is shown in Mashhad school with more elaboration (Image 13 c,d). The decorative designs of the walls around the door and diagonal walls and designs of the door of buildings have been shown to be equal in both schools (image 13, E,F,G,H). Image (13A) form of the building, Mashhad school Image (13B)-form of the building, Bukhara school Figure (13C) dome, Mashhad school Figure (13D) dome, Bukhara school Figure (13E) wall of the building, Mashhad school Figure (13F) wall of the building, Bukhara school 347

11 Figure (13G) Designs of the door,, Bukhara school Figure (13H) Designs of the door, Mashhad school In an image of Mashhad painting is a man who has inclined on a pillow and head rotation form is equal to image of a man who is shown in painting of Bukhara school (Image 14 A, B). Head rotation and movement of hands are equal in the image. Form of faces is round and long (Image 14 C,D). Image (14A) Mashhad school Image (14B)-Bukhara school Image (14C)-form of face, Mashhad school Image (14D) - form of face, Bukhara school 348

12 Form of clothes in both schools is equal. For example, lower part of clothes is shrunk upward and has been connected to waist. In images (15 C,D), dresses had short sleeves and were combined with a dress below it and had many buttons on the dress. Image (15A)-Mashhad school Image (15 B)-Bukhara school Image (15C)- Bukhara school Image (15 D)- Mashhad school In image (16B), the belt is in the form of two knots on each other which is shown in Image (16A). In image (16D), another type of belt is shown in Bukhara painting which has golden bead on its center and two beads around it. This type of belt is shown in Mashhad painting (Image 16C). Image (16A)- Bukhara school Image (16B)- Mashhad school 349

13 Image (16C)- Bukhara school Image (16D)- Mashhad school Hats are also similar. This type of hat is in the form of white cloth which has been folded on each other and a small hat is in its center (Image 17A,B) Image (17A)- Bukhara school Image (17B)- Mashhad school d. The studied paintings of Bukhara school and Mashhad school Bukhara school Image 18-Bustan Saadi, Mahmoud Mazhab Bukhara school, 968 A.H. ( Image 19- Bustan Saadi, Bazm AsheghaneMahmoud Mazhab, Bukhara school, 968 A.H. ( 350

14 Image 20-Golestan Saadi, Mahmoud Mazhab Molaghat Darvish, Bukhara school, 968 A.H. ( Image 21- Bustan Saadi, Sultan wakens the drunken judge at the dawn, Mahmoud Mazhab, Bukhara school, 968 A.H. ( 968 A.H. Image 22- Haft Manzar, Bazm Bahram and Yek Shahdokht, Haft Manzar, Sheikh Zadeh, Bukhara School ( Image 23-Bustan Saadi, title(?), Sheikh Zadeh Bukhara School, 939 A.H.(Sood Avar, 2001:193) 351

15 Mashhad School Image 24- Haft Orang by Jami, the first meeting of Majnoon, Mozafar Ali, Mashhad School. 972 A.H. Farir gallery, Braziller,1976: 110) Image 25- Haft Orang by Jami, Josef is released from well. Washington (Mozafar Ali, Mashhad School. 972 A.H. Farir gallery, Braziller,1976: 110) Image 26- Haft Orang by Jami, painting of the angels brightens Saadi, Abdolaziz, Mashhad School, 972 A.H. Farir gallery, Farir gallery, Washington(Azand, 2010:581 Image 27- Haft Orang by Jami, kissing foot of master by Washington. disciple, Abdolaziz, Mashhad School, 972 A.H ( 352

16 Image 28- Haft Orang by Jami, Story of Arab in transaction, Agha Mirak, Mashhad School, 972 A.H. Farir gallery, Farir gallery, ashington( Image 29- Haft Orang by Jami, story of Parviz with that fisher Washington. 972 A.H, Mashhad School, Farir gallery, Washington ( 4- Conclusion Considering the conducted studies, the research findings show that one of the factors which cause structural similarity in paintings of Bukhara school and Mashhad school was pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad. Paintings of Bukhara school and Mashhad school have abundant similarities in addition to little differences which they have. These similarities can be found in density of cliffs, hills, form of shrubs, juxtaposition of elements of figure such as plane tree beside cliffs, leaf of trees and form of trees, movement and form of figures, form of faces, architectural elements and decorations and form of dresses. Figures of Bukhara school and Mashhad school followed artistic features of Herat school in late century 9 and Transoxiana paintings before entrance of Behzad s pupils but when Behzad s pupils arrived in Bukhara, painting of these two schools changed and pupils of Kamaleddin Behzad could apply features of Behzad s style in Bukhara and Mashhad school. Even Sheikh Zadeh who was working in Tabriz school of Safavid transferred effects of Tabriz school to Bukhara. Bukhara school didn t benefit from artistic effects of painting schools of Safavid period although this school benefited from painting in Mashhad in attack of Uzbeks to Khorasan in late century

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