I AM CALLED BLACK-4
I AM CALLED BLACK-4 (第2/3页)
tilytoavoidgivingcredencetoopponentsofcoloranddecorationwhomaintainedthattrueartconsistedofcalligraphyaloneandthatdecorativeilluminationwassimplyasecondarymeansofaddingemphasis.
Nas1rtheLimnerwasmakingamessofaplateheintendedtorepairfromaversionoftheQuintetofNizamidatingbacktotheeraofTamerlane’ssons;thepicturedepictedHüsrevlookingatanakedShirinasshebathed.
Any-two-year-oldformermasterwhowashalfblindandhadnothingtosaybesidesclaimingthatsixtyyearsagohekissedMasterBizhad’shandinTabrizandthatthegreatmasteroflegendwasblindanddrunkatthetime,showeduswithtremblinghandstheornamentationonthepenboxhewouldpresentasaholidaygifttoOurSultanwhenitwascompletedthreemonthshence.
Shortlyasilenceenvelopedthewholeworkshopwhereclosetoeightypainters,studentsandapprenticesworkedinthesmallcellswhichconstitutedthelowerfloor.Thiswasapostbeatingsilence,thelikesofwhichI’dexperiencedmanytimes;asilencewhichwouldbebrokenattimesbyanerve-wrackingchuckleorawitticism,attimesbyafewsobsorthesuppressedmoanofthebeatenboybeforehiscryingfitwouldremindthemasterminiaturistsofthebeatingstheythemselvesreceivedasapprentices.Butthehalf-blindny-two-year-oldmastercausedmetosensesomethingdeeperforamoment,here,farfromallthebattlesandturmoil:thefeelingthateverythingwascomingtoanend.Immediatelybeforetheendoftheworld,therewouldalsobesuchsilence.
Paintingisthesilenceofthoughtandthemusicofsight.
AsIkissedMasterOsman’shandtobidhimfarewell,Ifeltnotonlygreatrespecttowardhim,butasentimentthatplungedmysoulintoturmoil:pitymixedwiththeadorationbefittingasaint,apeculiarfeelingofguilt.This,perhaps,becausemyEnishte—whowantedpainters,openlyorsecretly,toimitatethemethodsoftheFrankishmasters—washisrival.
Isuddenlysensed,aswell,thatIwasperhapsseeingthegreatmasteraliveforthelasttime,andintheflusterofwantingtopleaseandheartenhim,Iaskedaquestion:
“Mygreatmaster,mydearsir,whatseparatesthegenuineminiaturistfromtheordinary?”IassumedtheHeadIlluminator,whowasaccustomedtosuchfawningquestions,wouldgivemeadismissiveresponse,andthathewaspresentlyinthemidstofforgettingwhoIwasaltogether.
“Thereisnosinglemeasurethatcandistinguishthegreatminiaturistfromtheunskilledandfaithlessone,”hesaidinallseriousness.“Thischangeswithtime.Yettheskillsandmoralitywithwhichhewouldfacetheevilsthatthreatenourartareofsignificance.Today,inordertodeterminejusthowgenuineayoungpainteris,I’daskhimthreequestions.”
“Andwhatwouldtheybe?”
“Hashecometobelieve,undertheswayofrecentcustomaswellastheinfluenceofth
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