第20部分(第2/7 页)

quite　well　when　it　es　to　painting；　which　is　their　skill　or　their　art；　but　they

don’t prehend that the old masters made these pictures out of the

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memories of Allah Himself。” Ulu？ Bey asked how a child could know such

things。 “The child doesn’t know；” said the old miniaturist。 “But I； an elderly

and　blind　miniaturist；　know　that　Allah　created　this　worldly　realm　the　way　an

intelligent　seven…year…old　boy　would　want　to　see　it；　what’s　more；　Allah　created

this　earthly　realm　so　that；　above　all；　it　might　be　seen。　Afterward；　He　provided

us with words so we might share and discuss with one another what we’ve

seen。　We　mistakenly　assumed　that　these　stories　arose　out　of　words　and　that

illustrations were painted in service of these stories。 Quite to the contrary；

painting　is　the　act　of　seeking　out　Allah’s　memories　and　seeing　the　world　as　He

sees　the　world。”

DJIM

Two　hundred　fifty　years　ago；　Arab　miniaturists　were　in　the　custom　of　staring

at　the　western　horizon　at　daybreak　to　alleviate　the　understandable　and　eternal

anxieties　about　going　blind　shared　by　all　miniaturists；　likewise；　a　century　later

in　Shiraz；　many　illustrators　would　eat　walnuts　mashed　with　rose　petals　on　an

empty　stomach　in　the　mornings。　Again；　in　the　same　era；　the　elder　miniaturists

of Isfahan who believed sunlight was responsible for the blindness to which

they succumbed one by one； as if to the plague； would work in a half…dark

corner　of　the　room；　and　most　often　by　candlelight；　to　prevent　direct　sunlight

from striking their worktables。 At day’s end； in the workshops of