Les Peintures des manuscrits Safavis de 1502 à 1587 by Ivan StchoukineReview by: Stuart C. Welch, Jr.Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1960), pp. 271-273Published by: American Oriental SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/596190 .

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Reviews of Books Reviews of Books

following century, Iran in the seventeenth century, and finally the breakup of feudal society in Iran during the eighteenth century.

Space does not permit me to comment on the book's interpretation of each historical phase, but certain generalizations are possible. A systematic, methodological approach is consistently presented throughout the book, that is, each chapter follows a definite pattern. It generally begins with the social characteristics of the particular period and refers to the historical sources which form the basis for the interpretation of events. Although the chapter then discusses the various conquests and invasions, it stresses the central administration of the country, the nation's cultural achievements in that era, the rise of professions and urban life, and the status of Iran's commerce, social and economic organization. Moreover, each chapter analyzes the role Iranians have played in preserving their own culture, as well as their impact on neighboring countries and their contribution to the spread of culture. The chapter concludes with the condi- tions that led to the fall of one group and the rise of another.

In its over-all outlook the book shows the con- tinuity of Persian culture over a long period of time, and the authors state: "in spite of the fact that Iran has been invaded by many foreign

following century, Iran in the seventeenth century, and finally the breakup of feudal society in Iran during the eighteenth century.

Space does not permit me to comment on the book's interpretation of each historical phase, but certain generalizations are possible. A systematic, methodological approach is consistently presented throughout the book, that is, each chapter follows a definite pattern. It generally begins with the social characteristics of the particular period and refers to the historical sources which form the basis for the interpretation of events. Although the chapter then discusses the various conquests and invasions, it stresses the central administration of the country, the nation's cultural achievements in that era, the rise of professions and urban life, and the status of Iran's commerce, social and economic organization. Moreover, each chapter analyzes the role Iranians have played in preserving their own culture, as well as their impact on neighboring countries and their contribution to the spread of culture. The chapter concludes with the condi- tions that led to the fall of one group and the rise of another.

In its over-all outlook the book shows the con- tinuity of Persian culture over a long period of time, and the authors state: "in spite of the fact that Iran has been invaded by many foreign

Les Peintures des manuscrits Safavis de 1502 a 1587. By IVAN STCHOUKINE. Pp. 233, Pls. LXXXVIII. Paris: LIBRAIRIE ORIENTALISTE

P. GEUTHNER, 1959.

If one were to choose the person who has contributed most to the study of Persian miniature painting, he would surely be Ivan Stchoukine, whose books and monographs have provided us with the most substantial accounts of the subject. La Peinture Iranienne, published in 1936, traced the beginings of Persian painting under the Abba- sids and carried the history through the Mongol period. Les Peintures des Manuscrits Timurides, of 1954, guides us through the Fifteenth Century. Now, we welcome the third installment, which describes the brilliant continuation of the tradi- tion under the patronage of the Safavids, until 1587.

Dr. Stchoukine is a most orderly as well as crea-

Les Peintures des manuscrits Safavis de 1502 a 1587. By IVAN STCHOUKINE. Pp. 233, Pls. LXXXVIII. Paris: LIBRAIRIE ORIENTALISTE

P. GEUTHNER, 1959.

If one were to choose the person who has contributed most to the study of Persian miniature painting, he would surely be Ivan Stchoukine, whose books and monographs have provided us with the most substantial accounts of the subject. La Peinture Iranienne, published in 1936, traced the beginings of Persian painting under the Abba- sids and carried the history through the Mongol period. Les Peintures des Manuscrits Timurides, of 1954, guides us through the Fifteenth Century. Now, we welcome the third installment, which describes the brilliant continuation of the tradi- tion under the patronage of the Safavids, until 1587.

Dr. Stchoukine is a most orderly as well as crea-

groups, of different languages and cultures, she has been able to create not less than what she received. As the result of her geographical posi- tion, government organization and cultural de- velopment, Iran has played a leading role in the history of her neighboring countries and in the Middle East. For this reason the events in Iran's civilization have had a significant world effect on the history of her time . . . During its feudal state of culture, Persian literature and language have been no less important than the Greek culture and its language in ancient times."

Students of Oriental culture and those who seek historical and cultural information on Iran will find this book a valuable reference, written by historians who are experts in their particular field. In the reviewer's opinion it gives a better picture of Iran's contribution to the history of the Middle East than any comparable book in English: per- haps because such books have been written by diplomats, missionaries, or literary men, none of them scholars of history. Morover, it recognizes Islamic Persian culture as a separate entity and judges it with less bias than do the books written by Middle Easterners.

REZA ARASTEH

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

groups, of different languages and cultures, she has been able to create not less than what she received. As the result of her geographical posi- tion, government organization and cultural de- velopment, Iran has played a leading role in the history of her neighboring countries and in the Middle East. For this reason the events in Iran's civilization have had a significant world effect on the history of her time . . . During its feudal state of culture, Persian literature and language have been no less important than the Greek culture and its language in ancient times."

Students of Oriental culture and those who seek historical and cultural information on Iran will find this book a valuable reference, written by historians who are experts in their particular field. In the reviewer's opinion it gives a better picture of Iran's contribution to the history of the Middle East than any comparable book in English: per- haps because such books have been written by diplomats, missionaries, or literary men, none of them scholars of history. Morover, it recognizes Islamic Persian culture as a separate entity and judges it with less bias than do the books written by Middle Easterners.

REZA ARASTEH

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

tive scholar; he begins with the historical setting, sifting contemporary sources for pertinent mate- rial and building from this a solid, informative account of the cultural milieu that produced the works of art he goes on to discuss in detail. This section should be as valuable to the historian as to the student of Islamic art, for no such general account has been available since the skimpy sur- veys of E. G. Browne and Sir Percy Sykes. Es- pecially interesting are brief biographies of the great patrons of painting, such as Shah Tahmasp and his extraordinary nephew, Ibrahim Mirza. A most useful chapter lists all of the known painters and includes a critical survey of their surviving works as well as those attributed to them.

The longest section of the book concerns the manuscripts and albums themselves. Each of two hundred items is fully described. One is grateful for the accurate compilation of information often left out by earlier authorities: size, date, prove-

tive scholar; he begins with the historical setting, sifting contemporary sources for pertinent mate- rial and building from this a solid, informative account of the cultural milieu that produced the works of art he goes on to discuss in detail. This section should be as valuable to the historian as to the student of Islamic art, for no such general account has been available since the skimpy sur- veys of E. G. Browne and Sir Percy Sykes. Es- pecially interesting are brief biographies of the great patrons of painting, such as Shah Tahmasp and his extraordinary nephew, Ibrahim Mirza. A most useful chapter lists all of the known painters and includes a critical survey of their surviving works as well as those attributed to them.

The longest section of the book concerns the manuscripts and albums themselves. Each of two hundred items is fully described. One is grateful for the accurate compilation of information often left out by earlier authorities: size, date, prove-

271 271

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Journal of the American Oriental Society, 80.3 (1960)

nance, scribe, number of miniatures, etc. When- ever possible, Dr. Stchoukine gives these statistics. Most helpful in a field in which the books are becoming increasingly scarce is his practice of summarizing the opinions expressed in the past, arguing his case in full when he differs with the hitherto accepted theories.

Many Safavid manuscripts give neither date nor provenance. Scholars, therefore, have had to place them by other means. Dr. Stchoukine divides the paintings according to centres, by and large those with which we are familiar from earlier writers: Tabriz, Qazwin, Shiraz, Herat, Meshed, Isfahan, and "provincial," a sort of catch-all for atypical work. Isfahan and Herat have not always been considered separate schools of painting at this time and Khorassan has occasionally been substituted for the more limiting Meshed. The distinguished English scholar, B. W. Robinson, for instance, includes manuscripts written at Herat during the first part of the Century with the school of Tabriz.1 Furthermore, he assigns the few manuscripts known to have been written at Isfahan prior to the end of the century to the school of book production centred at Shiraz. Mr. Robinson's system is sim- pler, Dr. Stchoukine's possibly more exact. At any rate, Dr. Stchoukine finds a number of char- acteristics in Isfahani paintings that distinguish them from Shirazi work. Inasmuch as Bukhara was not part of Safavid Persia, Dr. Stchoukine does not discuss the manuscripts written there. One hopes that he will deal with this material elsewhere.

The author occasionally surprises us with the results of his reconsideration of long standing attributions. A familiar picture of two camels fighting,2 hitherto considered a late work by Bihzad and assigned to about 1525 is now, I think correctly, dated twenty-five years later, well after the death of the great Timurid master. Item 52, a manuscript dated 1543 is considered by Dr. Stchoukine to be of Qazwin on the basis of style. However, inasmuch as the royal court, presumably with ateliers, did not move from Tabriz until 1548, one sympathises with the author's dilemma.

1 See B. W. Robinson, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Persian Paintings in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1958), p. 81.

2 See L. Binyon, J. V. S. Wilkinson, B. Gray, Persian Miniature Painting (Oxford, 1933), P1. LXXXVII, A. 132.

Such problems as this warn us not to be too doctri- naire in the matter of attribution. Number 102, a manuscript of 1530-31 placed at Shiraz by the author seems to us closer to Tabriz in style. Item 136, a well-known miniature in the past accepted as Bihzad's work3 is considerably demoted by its new assignment to Shiraz during the second half of the century. Two miniatures4 in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, numbers 137 and 140, once attributed to Muhammadi, are also shorn of their artist's name and located at Shiraz. In each of these cases we fail to see Shirazi elements while agreeing that they are not likely to be by the artist in question. Manuscript no. 186, on the other hand, seems to us quite eligible for the Shirazi rather than the "Provincial" group. A Yusuf and Zulaytcha5 manuscript in the British Museum (no. 192) has long convinced the reviewer that it is in fact Indian, probably from the Deccan, rather than from Qazwin as Blouchet said, or from Southern Persia as we are now told. Numbers 196 and 199 also appear to be Indian, an opinion with which Dr. Stchoukine concurs in a letter to the reviewer.

Dr. Stchoukine is virtually the first student of Islamic painting who has dealt at length with the formal elements of the miniatures. His last chapters concern the stylistic development of Safavid painting from its "primitive" phase through the "classic" and "baroque." While one might question the application of this last term to our subject its meaning in terms of design becomes clear after reading the author's skillful analysis of the treatment of space, composition, and colour.

Eighty-eight excellent collotype plates, almost all hitherto unpublished, enable the reader to follow Dr. Stchoukine's main arguments. Exhaustive

8 See A. U. Pope (Editor), A Survey of Persian Art, V (Oxford, 1938), P1. 885, A.

' See A. K. Coomaraswamy, Les Miniatures Orien- tales de La Collection Goloubew Au Museum of Fine Arts de Boston (Paris, 1929), Pls. XXII, XXIII, Figs. 45, 43.

5 See E. Blochet, Musulman Painting (London, 1929), P1. CXXXVI. Sir Thomas Arnold, The Old and New Testaments in Muslim Religious Art (London, 1932), P1. X. This manuscript is probably the most important and beautiful Non-Mughal Islamic manuscript made in India during the second half of the Sixteenth Century. Indian elements include a number of costumes, acces- sories, architecture, and other details as well as affinities to work known to be Indian.

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Reviews of Books Reviews of Books

references to reproductions in other books are also given. Dr. Stchoukine's book is indispensible to the student of Islamic painting and should be a source of delight to the picture-minded general

references to reproductions in other books are also given. Dr. Stchoukine's book is indispensible to the student of Islamic painting and should be a source of delight to the picture-minded general

The Middle East: A History. By SYDNEY NET-

TLETON FISHER. Borzoi Books in History. Pp. xiv + 650 + 31, with maps, bibliography, and index. New York: A. A. KNOPF, 1959. $8.95 (trade). $6.75 (text).

Lest the remarks that follow should seem to do less than justice to the hard work that a well- known teacher has put in on this volume, let me say that it undoubtedly has value as a teacher's handbook and as a work of reference. But it cannot be recommended with the same confidence to 'the beginning college student or general reader' for whom, according to the author's pref- ace (p. v), it is specifically intended. Does such a user need a book of more than 250,000 words and sold at so high a price, anyway? Is there not a greater need for both publishers and authors to check the inflationary trend in the bulk and cost of textbooks? The quasi-mechanical amassing of data is no substitute for the selection of really significant information.

One may question the appropriateness for be- ginners of a treatment which seeks to combine a comprehensive study of the Ottoman Empire with a comprehensive study of the post-Ottoman Middle East. For there is no doubt that the main his- torical interest of the Ottoman Empire is situated in Constantinople, Anatolia, and the Balkan prov- inces, with only a secondary interest in the ne- glected Arabic-speaking provinces. But before the end of the Ottoman Empire the Balkans had ceased to belong to it and had ipso facto ceased to be included in what we now label the Middle East; and after the First World War, though the Turk- ish Republic and Persia retain their importance, the main Middle Eastern interest becomes the clinical one in the painful teething-troubles of Arab nationalism. Instead of crushing the be- ginning student under the weight of an over-mas- sive tome, there is surely much to be said for giving him three smaller and more manageable handbooks: (1) the Ottoman Empire and its suc-

The Middle East: A History. By SYDNEY NET-

TLETON FISHER. Borzoi Books in History. Pp. xiv + 650 + 31, with maps, bibliography, and index. New York: A. A. KNOPF, 1959. $8.95 (trade). $6.75 (text).

Lest the remarks that follow should seem to do less than justice to the hard work that a well- known teacher has put in on this volume, let me say that it undoubtedly has value as a teacher's handbook and as a work of reference. But it cannot be recommended with the same confidence to 'the beginning college student or general reader' for whom, according to the author's pref- ace (p. v), it is specifically intended. Does such a user need a book of more than 250,000 words and sold at so high a price, anyway? Is there not a greater need for both publishers and authors to check the inflationary trend in the bulk and cost of textbooks? The quasi-mechanical amassing of data is no substitute for the selection of really significant information.

One may question the appropriateness for be- ginners of a treatment which seeks to combine a comprehensive study of the Ottoman Empire with a comprehensive study of the post-Ottoman Middle East. For there is no doubt that the main his- torical interest of the Ottoman Empire is situated in Constantinople, Anatolia, and the Balkan prov- inces, with only a secondary interest in the ne- glected Arabic-speaking provinces. But before the end of the Ottoman Empire the Balkans had ceased to belong to it and had ipso facto ceased to be included in what we now label the Middle East; and after the First World War, though the Turk- ish Republic and Persia retain their importance, the main Middle Eastern interest becomes the clinical one in the painful teething-troubles of Arab nationalism. Instead of crushing the be- ginning student under the weight of an over-mas- sive tome, there is surely much to be said for giving him three smaller and more manageable handbooks: (1) the Ottoman Empire and its suc-

reader. We await eagerly the next volume of this definitive history.

STUART C. WELCH, JR. FOGG ART MUSEUM

reader. We await eagerly the next volume of this definitive history.

STUART C. WELCH, JR. FOGG ART MUSEUM

cessor-state, the Turkish Republic; (2) Persia; (3) the Arabs in history and today, with just the necessary amount of cross-reference.

Professor Fisher's desire to be all-inclusive has involved him in what seem to be odd inconsisten- cies. Thus, the movement led by Colonel Arabi in 1881-2 is agreed to be of capital importance in the history of modern Egypt: yet it receives (pp. 289-90) hardly more space than was given on p. 220 to the love-life of Suleiman the Magnificent and Roxelana! This might of course be explained as a sop to the frailty of the 'beginning college student or general reader'; but what then will such a reader make of the turgid parade of mil- lions of dollars on p. 568 (the Iraqi development plan), that is not even made easier on the eye by being set out as a statistical table?

Again, it is an obvious fact, as Professor Fisher recognizes on p. 624, that the tone of pan-Arab politics since the Second World War has been dictated from Cairo. Yet the arrangement of the final Chapters 38-41 takes the reader through the twentieth-century histories of the Arabian Penin- sula, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Arab League, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan before he is intro- duced to the history of Egypt since 1945; but without this, much of the foregoing 82 pages will hardly be intelligible to the beginner or general reader.

Weaknesses of detail could be itemized at some length, but one example must suffice. The section entitled "The Sinai War" (1956) speaks of 'the aggressive nationalism of Zionism' (p. 597), and elsewhere (pp. 595, 624) there are references to 'the most serious incident' previously occurring between Israel and Egypt, viz. the Gaza raid of February 1955; but where in all these 250,000 words is there a precise recognition that during 1955-56 the Egyptian military regime openly boasted of the fida'iyin raids across the armistice lines into Israel as part of its policy and persisted in claiming that it was still at war with Israel? The negative remark that ' Israel was not at peace with Egypt' (p. 624) is strongly at variance with

cessor-state, the Turkish Republic; (2) Persia; (3) the Arabs in history and today, with just the necessary amount of cross-reference.

Professor Fisher's desire to be all-inclusive has involved him in what seem to be odd inconsisten- cies. Thus, the movement led by Colonel Arabi in 1881-2 is agreed to be of capital importance in the history of modern Egypt: yet it receives (pp. 289-90) hardly more space than was given on p. 220 to the love-life of Suleiman the Magnificent and Roxelana! This might of course be explained as a sop to the frailty of the 'beginning college student or general reader'; but what then will such a reader make of the turgid parade of mil- lions of dollars on p. 568 (the Iraqi development plan), that is not even made easier on the eye by being set out as a statistical table?

Again, it is an obvious fact, as Professor Fisher recognizes on p. 624, that the tone of pan-Arab politics since the Second World War has been dictated from Cairo. Yet the arrangement of the final Chapters 38-41 takes the reader through the twentieth-century histories of the Arabian Penin- sula, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Arab League, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan before he is intro- duced to the history of Egypt since 1945; but without this, much of the foregoing 82 pages will hardly be intelligible to the beginner or general reader.

Weaknesses of detail could be itemized at some length, but one example must suffice. The section entitled "The Sinai War" (1956) speaks of 'the aggressive nationalism of Zionism' (p. 597), and elsewhere (pp. 595, 624) there are references to 'the most serious incident' previously occurring between Israel and Egypt, viz. the Gaza raid of February 1955; but where in all these 250,000 words is there a precise recognition that during 1955-56 the Egyptian military regime openly boasted of the fida'iyin raids across the armistice lines into Israel as part of its policy and persisted in claiming that it was still at war with Israel? The negative remark that ' Israel was not at peace with Egypt' (p. 624) is strongly at variance with

273 273

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