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perspectival techniques； of which the Frankish masters haughtily boast； their
world remained dull and limited； restricted to the simple perspective of the
mutt or the shop clerk。 Then a great event came to pass and our entire world
of illustration changed。 Let me begin here。
Three Stories on Painting and Time
ALIF
Three hundred fifty years ago； when Baghdad fell to the Mongols and was
mercilessly plundered on a cold day in the month of Safar； Ibn Shakir was the
most renowned and proficient calligrapher and scribe not only of the whole
Arab world but of all Islamdom； despite his youth； he had transcribed twenty…
two volumes； most of which were Korans and could be found in the world…
famous libraries of Baghdad。 Ibn Shakir believed these books would last until
the end of the world； and； therefore； lived with a deep and infinite notion of
time。 He’d toiled heroically all through the night by flickering candlelight on
the last of those legendary books； which are unknown to us today because in
the span of a few days； they were one by one torn up； shredded； burned and
tossed into the Tigris River by the soldiers of the Mongol Khan Hulagu。 Just as
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the master Arab calligraphers； mited to the notion of the endless
persistence of tradition and books； had for five centuries been in the habit of
resting their eyes as a precaution against blindness by turning their backs to
the rising sun and looking toward the western horizon； Ibn Shakir ascended
the minaret of the Caliphet Mosque in the coolness of morning； and from the
balcony where the muezzin called the faithful to prayer； witnessed all that
would end a five…centuries…long tradition of scribal art。 First； he saw Hulagu’s
pitiless soldiers enter Baghdad； and yet he remained where he was atop the
minaret。 He watched the plunder and destruction of the entire city； the
slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people； the killing of the last of the
Caliphs of Islam who’d ruled Baghdad for half a millennium； the rape of
women； the burning of libraries and the destruction of tens of thousands of
volumes as they were thrown into the Tigris。 Two days later； amid the stench
of corpses and cries of death； he watched the flowing waters of the Tigris；
turned red from the ink bleeding out of the books； and he thought about how
all those volumes he’d transcribed in beautiful script； those books that were
now gone； hadn’t in the least served to stop this horrifying massacre and
devastation； and in turn； he swore never to write again。 Furthermore； he was
struck with the desire to express his pain and the disaster he’d witnessed
through painting； which until that day； he’d belittled and deemed an affront
to Allah； and so； making use of the paper he always carried with him； he
depicted what he saw from the top of the minaret。 We owe the happy miracle
of the three…hundred…year renaissance in Islamic illustration following the
Mongol invasion to that element which distinguished it from the artistry of
pagans and Christians； that is； to the truly agonizing depiction of the world
from an elevated Godlike position attained by drawing none other than a
horizon line。 We owe this renaissance to the horizon line； and also to Ibn
Shakir’s going north after the massacre he witnessed—in the direction the
Mongol armies had e from—carrying with him his paintings and the
ambition for illustration in his heart； in brief； we owe much to his learning the
painting techniques of the Chinese masters。 Thereby； it is evident that the
notion of endless time that had rested in the hearts of Arab calligrapher…
scribes for five hundred years would finally manifest itself not in writing； but
in painting。 The proof of this resides in the fact that the illustrations in
manuscripts and volumes that had been torn apart and vanished have passed
into other books and other volumes to survive forever in their revelation of
Allah’s worldly realm。
79
BA
Once upon a time； not so very long ago yet not so recently； everything
imitated everything else； and thus； if not for aging and death； man would’ve
never been the wiser about the passage of time。 Yes； when the worldly realm
was repeatedly presented through the same stories and pictures； as if time did
not flow； Fahir Shah’s small army routed Selahattin Khan’s soldiers—as Salim
of Samarkand’s concise History attests。 After the victorous Fahir Shah captured
Selahattin Khan and tortured him to death； his first task in asserting his
sovereignty； according to custom； was to visit the library and the harem of the
vanquished khan。 In the library； the late Selahattin Khan’s experienced binder
pulled apart the dead shah’s books； and rearranging the pages； began to
assemble new volumes。 His calligraphers replaced the epithet of “Always
Victorious Selahattin Khan” with that of “Victorious Fahir Shah” and his
miniaturists set about replacing the late Selahattin Khan—masterfully
portrayed on the most beautiful of manuscript pages—who was； as of that
moment； starting to fade from people’s memories； with the portrait of the
younger Fahir Shah。 Upon entering the harem； Fahir Shah had no difficulty in
locating the most beautiful woman there； yet instead of forcing himself upon
her； because he was a refined man versed in books and artistry； and resolving
to win her heart； he engaged her in conversation。 Consequently； Neriman
Sultan； the late Selahattin Khan’s belle of beauties； his teary…eyed wife； made
but one request of Fahir Shah： that the illustration of her husband in a version
of the romance Leyla and Mejnun； wherein Leyla was depicted as Neriman
Sultan and Mejnun as Selahattin Khan； not be altered。 In at least this one page；
she maintained； the immortality that her husband had tried to attain over the
years through books should not be denied。 The victorious Fahir Shah bravely
granted this simple request and his masters of the book left that one picture
alone。 Thereby； Neriman and Fahir immediately made love and within a short
period； forgetting the horrors of the past； came to truly love each other。 Still；
Fahir Shah could not forget that picture in Leyla and Mejnun。 Nay； it wasn’t
jealousy that made him uneasy or that his wife was portrayed with her old
husband。 What gnawed at him was this： Since he wasn’t painted in the old
legend in that splendid book； he wouldn’t be able to join the ranks of the
immortals with his wife。 This worm of doubt ate at Fahir Shah for five years；
and at the end of a blissful night of copious lovemaking with Neriman；
candlestick in hand； he entered the library like a