 |
Abd Al-RazzakPersian artist.
Date of Birth: .
|
Content:
Biography of Abd al-Razzaq
Abd al-Razzaq was a Persian artist who lived and worked during the Timurid period in the city of Herat. His name has been preserved thanks to an inscription by the Mughal emperor Jahangir, who was an avid art collector. In 1605, Jahangir noted on a manuscript of Nizami's "Khamsa" (now housed in the British Library in London) that 16 miniatures in the work were attributed to Behzad, five to his teacher Mirak Naqqash Khorassani, and one to Abd al-Razzaq.
Artistic Career
Abd al-Razzaq worked in Herat during the reign of the Timurid ruler Husayn Bayqara, who was a great patron of the arts. During his reign, the city experienced a second flowering of Timurid art, thanks to the vibrant and creative atmosphere that characterized the court. From the 1490s onwards, the renowned artist Behzad became the head of Husayn Bayqara's kitabkhana (library and atelier). Behzad's influence on the style of the Herat painters is evident, as seen in the ongoing debate among scholars about the attribution of certain miniatures in the London "Khamsa."
Influence of Chinese Art
Abd al-Razzaq's miniature titled "The Miraj of the Prophet Muhammad" is believed to have been inspired by an earlier manuscript of the "Mirajnama" (now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris), created in 1436. In this miniature, the Prophet Muhammad is depicted with an uncovered face, a departure from the usual practice of concealing his face out of religious piety. The artist captured the moment when Muhammad, riding on the mythical horse Buraq, flies over the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. The aerial perspective of the courtyard, the minarets, and the tiny figures near the Kaaba is reminiscent of Chinese painting.
Legacy
Although Abd al-Razzaq's fame does not rival that of his more illustrious contemporaries, such as Behzad, his work demonstrates the high level of artistic skill and innovation that characterized the Timurid period. Through his unique interpretations of traditional Islamic themes, combined with influences from Chinese art, Abd al-Razzaq left a lasting mark on the history of Persian miniature painting.
