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Khorasan； Bukhara and Herat； we in Istanbul couldn’t make these paintings at
all。 As we talked； the consistency of time； like that of the paint； seemed to
change； to flow ever more quickly。 In a corner of my mind I was wondering
why no one had yet returned home。 If only he’d put down that weighty object。
With our customary workaday ease； he asked me； “When your book is
finished； will those who see my work appreciate my skill？”
“If we can； God willing； finish this book without interference； Our Sultan
will look it over； of course； checking first to see whether we used enough gold
leaf in the appropriate places。 Then； as if reading a description of Himself； as
any sultan would； He’ll stare at his own portrait； struck by His own likeness
rather than by our magnificent illustrations； thereafter； if He takes the time to
examine the spectacle we’ve painstakingly and devotedly created at the
expense of the light of our eyes； so much the better。 You know； as well as I； that
barring a miracle； He’ll lock the book away in His treasury without even asking
who made the frame or the gilded illuminations； who painted this man or
that horse—and like all skillful artisans； we’ll go back to painting； ever hopeful
that one day a miracle of acknowledgment will find us。”
186
We were silent for a while； as if patiently waiting for something。
“When will that miracle happen？” he asked。 “When will all those paintings
we’ve worked on until we could no longer see straight truly be appreciated？
When will they give me； give us； the respect we deserve？”
“Never！”
“How so？”
“They’ll never give you what you want；” I said。 “In the future； you’ll be even
less appreciated。”
“Books last for centuries；” he said proudly but without confidence。
“Believe me； none of the Veian masters have your poetic sensibility； your
conviction； your sensitivity； the purity and brightness of your colors； yet their
paintings are more pelling because they more closely resemble life itself。
They don’t paint the world as seen from the balcony of a minaret； ignoring
what they call perspective； they depict what’s seen at street level； or from the
inside of a prince’s room； taking in his bed； quilt； desk； mirror； his tiger； his
daughter and his coins。 They include it all； as you know。 I’m not persuaded by
everything they do。 Attempting to imitate the world directly through painting
seems dishonorable to me。 I resent it。 But there’s an undeniable allure to the
paintings they make by those new methods。 They depict what the eye sees just
as the eye sees it。 Indeed； they paint what they see； whereas we paint what we
look at。 Beholding their work； one es to realize that the only way to have
one’s face immortalized is through the Frankish style。 And it’s not only the
inhabitants of Venice who are captured by this notion； but all the tailors；
butchers； soldiers； priests and grocers in all the Frankish lands…They all have
their portraits made this way。 Just a glance at those paintings and you too
would want to see yourself this way； you’d want to believe that you’re
different from all others； a unique； special and particuliar human being。
Painting people； not as they are perceived by the mind； but as they are actually
seen by the naked eye； painting in the new method； allows for this possibility。
One day everyone will paint as they do。 When ”painting‘ is mentioned； the
world will think of their work！ Even a poor foolish tailor who understands
nothing of illustrating will want such a portrait so he might be convinced；
upon seeing the unique curve of his nose； that he’s not an ordinary simpleton；
but an extraordinary man。“
“So？ We can make that portrait； as well；” quipped the witty assassin。
187
“We won’t！” I replied。 “Haven’t you learned from your victim； the late
Elegant Effendi； how afraid we are of being labeled imitators of the Franks？
Even if we venture bravely to paint like them； it’ll amount to the same thing。
In the end； our methods will die out； our colors will fade。 No one will care
about our books and our paintings； and those who do express interest will ask
with a sneer； with no understanding whatsoever； why there’s no perspective—
or else they won’t be able to find the manuscripts at all。 Indifference； time and
disaster will destroy our art。 The Arabian glue used in the bindings contains
fish； honey and bone； and the pages are sized and polished with a finish made
from egg white and starch。 Greedy； shameless mice will nibble these pages
away； termites； worms and a thousand varieties of insect will gnaw our
manuscripts out of existence。 Bindings will fall apart and pages will drop out。
Women lighting their stoves； thieves； indifferent servants and children will
thoughtlessly tear out the pages and pictures。 Child princes will scrawl over the
illustrations with toy pens。 They’ll blacken people’s eyes； wipe their runny
noses on the pages； doodle in the margins with black ink。 And religious
censors will blacken out whatever is left。 They’ll tear and cut up our paintings；
perhaps use them to make other pictures or for games and such
entertainment。 While mothers destroy the illustrations they consider obscene；
fathers and older brothers will jack off onto the pictures of women and the
pages will stick together； not only because of this； but also due to being
smeared with mud； water； bad glue； spit and all manner of filth and food。
Stains of mold and dirt will blossom like flowers where the pages have stuck
together。 Rain； leaky roofs； floods and dirt will ruin our books。 Of course；
together with the tattered； faded and unreadable pages； which water；
humidity； bugs and neglect will have reduced to pulp； the one last volume to
emerge intact； like a miracle； from the bottom of a bone…dry chest will also
one day disappear； swallowed up in the flames of a merciless fire。 Is there a
neighborhood in Istanbul that hasn’t been burned to the ground at least once
every twenty years that we might expect such a book to survive？ In this city；
where every three years more books and libraries disappear than those the
Mongols burned and plundered in Baghdad； what painter could possibly
imagine that his masterpiece might last more than a century； or that one day
his pictures might be seen； and he revered like Bihzad？ Not only our own art；
but every single work made in this world over the years will vanish in fires； be
destroyed by worms or be lost out of neglect： Shirin proudly watching Hüsrev
from a window； Hüsrev delightfully spying on Shirin as she bathes by
moonlight； lovers gazing at each other with grace and subtlety； Rüstem’s
wrestling a white demon to death at the bottom of a well； the anguished state
188
of a lovelorn Mejnun befriending a white tiger and a mountain goat in the
desert； the capture and hanging of a deceitful shepherd dog who presents a
sheep from his flock to the she…wolf he mates with each night； the flower；
angel； leafy twig； bird and teardrop border illuminations； the lute players that
embellish Hafiz’s enigmatic poems； the wall ornamentations that have ruined
the eyes of thousands； nay tens of thousands of miniaturist apprentices； the
small plaques hung above doors and on walls； the couplets secretly written
between the embedded borders of illustrations； the humble signatures hidden
at the bases of walls； in corners； in facade embellishments； under the soles of
feet； beneath shrubbery and between rocks； the flower…covered quilts covering
lovers； the severed infidel heads patiently awaiting Our Sultan’s late
grandfathe