Persian Miniatures: Bears Khorasan 3rd quarter 16th c

Persian Miniatures: Bears Khorasan 3rd quarter 16th c

Plate 46. West Turkestan, Circa 1500, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

La Miniature En Orient by Ernst Kuhnel 1925

Translator's Note: The date that Kuhnel assigned to this piece seems to be at least 50 years too early. In this we see a style of art that developed in the 15th century and came into it's own in the sixteenth century. Comparing how the bear is drawn and the representation of leaves and floral forms I feel an attribution of Khorasan (Mashad or Sabzavar) 3rd quarter 16th century is most probable. In the picture to the left we can see proportion of the trunk and how the two main branches cross back across each other. This is a style we see in other pictures including the margin decorations of Portrait of a Seated Flautist.

Detail - Plate 46: Bears

Detail from the Margin of "A Hawking Party"1.

B. W. Robinson suggested that this persian minaturevwas "Anonymous Qazvin Style"2. and Stuart Cary Welch attributed it to Mirza Ali circa 1575.3. I agree with the Mirza Ali attribution and 1575 seems appropriate. Since we know that in 1575 Mirza Ali was at the court of Ibrahim Mirza who was at Sabzavar at that time we can attribute this piece to Sabzavar Circa 1575

Detail - Plate 46: Bears

Detail -Margin decorations of Portrait of a Seated Flautist.

Here we can see a similar bear and also please note the branch crossing under it's self.