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源平慎弌傍利 卦指云慕朕村 紗秘慕禰 厘議慕尺 厘議慕禰 TXT畠云和墮 〆辺茄欺厘議箝誓匂〇

my name is red-厘議兆忖出碕-及47何蛍

酔楯荷恬: 梓囚徒貧圭�鮗� ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈 梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈 梓囚徒貧圭�鮗� ● 辛指欺云匈競何! 泌惚云慕短嗤堋響頼���誅卒亮茂�俊彭堋響��辛聞喘貧圭 "辺茄欺厘議箝誓匂" 孔嬬 才 "紗秘慕禰" 孔嬬��


the pride of the Sultan�察�that is�察�if this art is meant to be only a festival for the 
eyes�察�then Butterfly is indeed a true miniaturist。 He makes wide�察�easy�察�blithe 
curves�察�as if he¨d taken lessons from the masters of Kazvin forty years ago�察�he 
confidently  applies  his  bright�察 �pure  colors�察 �and  there¨s  always  a  gentle 
circularity hidden in the arrangement of his paintings�察�but I¨m the one who 
trained him�察�not those long´dead masters of Kazvin。 Maybe it¨s for this reason 
that  I  love  him  like  a  son�察 �nay�察 �more  than  a  son!but  I  never  felt  any  awe 
toward him。 As with all of my apprentices�察�in his boyhood and adolescence�察�I 
beat him freely with brush handles�察�rulers and even pieces of wood�察�but this 
doesn¨t mean I don¨t respect him。 Though I beat Stork frequently with rulers�察�I 
respect  him  too。  In  contrast  to  what  the  casual  onlooker  might  assume�察 �a 
master¨s beating doesn¨t rid the young apprentice of jinns of talent and the 
Devil�察 �but  only  suppresses  them  temporarily。  If  it  happens  to  be  a  good 
beating�察 �and  deserved�察 �later  on  the  jinns  and  the  Devil  will  rise  up  and 
stimulate  the  developing  miniaturist¨s  resolve  to  work。  As  for  the  beatings  I 
administered to Butterfly�察�they shaped him into a content and obedient artist。 
I at once felt the need to praise him to Black�此 �Butterfly¨s artistry�察院�I said�察�
^is solid proof that the picture of bliss�察�which the celebrated poet ponders in 
his masnawi�察�is only possible through a God´given gift for understanding and 
applying color。 When I realized this�察�I  also realized what Butterfly lacked�此�He 
hadn¨t known that momentary loss of faith that Jami refers to in his poetry as 
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 ̄the dark night of the soul。^ Like an illustrator painting in the great happiness 
of Heaven�察�he sets to his work with conviction and contentment�察�believing that 
he can make a blissful painting�察�which he does succeed in doing。 Our armies 
besieging  Doppio  castle�察 �the  Hungarian  ambassador  kissing  the  feet  of  Our 
Sultan�察�Our Prophet ascending through the seven heavens�察�these are of course 
all inherently happy scenes�察�but rendered by Butterfly�察�they bee flights of 
ecstasy springing from the page。 In an illustration of mine�察�if the darkness of 
death  or  the  seriousness  of  a  government  session  weighs  heavy�察 �I¨ll  tell 
Butterfly to  ̄color it as you see fit�察亜�and thereupon�察�the outfits�察�leaves�察�flags 
and  sea  that  lay  there  muted  as  if  sprinkled  with  dirt  meant  to  fill  a  grave 
begin  to  ripple  in  the  breeze。  There  are  times  when  I  think  Allah  wants  the 
world  to  be  seen  the  way  Butterfly  illustrates  it�察 �that  He  wants  life  to  be 
jubilation。   Indeed�察  �this   is   a   realm   where   colors   harmoniously   recite 
magnificent  ghazals  to  each  other�察 �where  time  stops�察 �where  the  Devil  never 
appears。 ̄ 
However�察�even Butterfly knows this isn¨t enough。 Someone must have quite 
rightly!yes�察�in good measure!whispered to him that in his work everything 
was as joyous as a holiday�察�but devoid of depth。 Child princes and senile old 
harem women on the verge of death enjoy his paintings�察�not men of the world 
forced to struggle with evil。 Because Butterfly is well aware of these criticisms�察�
poor man�察�he at times grows jealous of average miniaturists who though much 
less talented than he are possessed of demons and jinns。 What he mistakenly 
believes  to  be  devilry  and  the  work  of  jinns  is  more  often  than  not 
straightforward evil and envy。 
He aggravates me because when he paints�察�he doesn¨t lose himself in that 
wondrous  world�察 �surrendering  to  its  ecstasy�察 �but  only  reaches  that  height 
when  he  imagines  his  work  will  please  others。  He  aggravates  me  because  he 
thinks about the money he¨ll earn。 It¨s another of life¨s ironies�此�There are many 
artists  with  much  less  talent  yet  more  able  than  Butterfly  to  surrender 
themselves to their art。 
In his need to make up for his shortings�察�Butterfly is preoccupied with 
proving   that   he   has   sacrificed   himself   to   art。   Like   those   birdbrained 
miniaturists  who  paint  on  fingernails  and  pieces  of  rice�察 �pictures  almost 
invisible   to   the   naked   eye�察  �he¨s   engrossed   with   minute   and   delicate 
craftsmanship。  I¨d  once  asked  him  whether  he  gave  himself  over  to  this 
ambition�察�which has blinded many illustrators at an early age�察�because he was 
ashamed of the excessive talent Allah had granted him。 Only inept miniaturists 
283 
 
paint each leaf of a tree they¨ve drawn on a grain of rice to make an easy name 
for themselves and to gain importance in the eyes of dense patrons。 
Butterfly¨s  inclination  to  design  and  illustrate  for  other  people¨s  pleasure 
rather than for his own�察�his uncontrollable need to please others�察�made him�察�
more  than  any  of  the  others�察 �a  slave  to  praise。  And  so  it  follows  that  an 
uncertain   Butterfly   wants   to   ensure   his   standing   by   being   Head 
Illuminator。 It was Black who had raised this subject。 
^Yes�察院�I said�察 �I know he¨s been scheming to succeed me after I die。 ̄ 
^Do you think this would drive him to murder his miniaturist brethren�拭院�
^It might。 He¨s a great master�察�but he¨s not aware of this�察�and he can¨t leave 
the world behind when he paints。 ̄ 
I  said  this�察 �whereupon  I  grasped  that  in  truth  I�察 �too�察 �wanted  Butterfly  to 
assume leadership of the workshop after me。 I couldn¨t trust Olive�察�and in the 
end  Stork  would  unwittingly  bee  slave  to  the  Veian  style。  Butterfly¨s 
need  to  be  admired!I  was  upset  at  the  thought  that  he  could  take  a  life!
would be vital in handling both the workshop and the Sultan。 Only Butterfly¨s 
sensitivity and faith in his own palette could resist the Veian artistry that 
duped   the   viewer   by   trying   to   depict   reality   itself   rather   than   its 
representation�察 �in  all  its  detail�此 �pictures�察 �shadows  included�察 �of  cardinals�察�
bridges�察 �rowboats�察 �candlesticks�察 �churches  and  stables�察 �oxen  and  carriage 
wheels�察�as if all of them were of the same importance to Allah。 
^Was there ever a time when you visited him unannounced as you had with 
the others�拭院�
^Whosoever  looks  upon  Butterfly¨s  work  will  quickly  sense  that  he 
understands  the  value  of  love  as  well  as  the  meaning  of  heartfelt  joy  and 
sorrow。 But as with all lovers of color�察�he gets carried away with his emotions 
and  is  fickle。  Because  I  was  so  enamored  of  his  God´given  and  miraculous 
talent�察�of his sensitivity to color�察�I paid close attention to him in his youth and 
know everything there is to know about him。 Of course�察�in such situations�察�the 
other miniaturists quickly bee jealous and the master´disciple relationship 
bees  strained  and  damaged。  There  were  many  moments  of  love  during 
which Butterfly did not fear what others might say。 Recently�察�since he married 
the neighborhood fruit seller¨s pretty daughter�察�I¨ve neither felt the desire to 
go see him�察�nor have I had the chance。 ̄ 
^Rumor  has  it  that  he¨s  in  league  with  the  followers  of  the  Hoja  from 
Erzurum�察院�Black said。 ^They say he stands to gain a lot if the Hoja and his men 
284 
 
declare  certain  works  inpatible  with  religion�察 �and  thereby�察 �outlaw  our 
books!which depict battles�察�weapons�察�bloody scenes and routine ceremonies�察�
not to mention parades including everyone from chefs to magicians�察�dervishes 
to  boy  dancers�察 �and  kebab  makers  to  locksmiths!and  confine  us  to  the 
subjects and forms of the old Persian masters。 ̄ 
^Even if we returned skillfully and victoriously to those wondrous paintings 
of  Tamerlane¨s  time�察 �even  if  we  returned  to  that  life  and  vocation  in  all  its 
minutia!as  bright  Stork  would  best  be  able  to  do  after  me!in  the  final 
analysis�察 �all  of  it¨ll  be  forgotten�察院 �I  said  mercilessly�察  �because  everybody  will 
want to paint like the Europeans。 ̄ 
Did I actually believe these words of damnation�拭�
^My Enishte believed the same�察院�Black confessed meekly�察 �yet it filled him 
with hope。 ̄ 
 
The Attributes of Stork 
 
I¨ve seen him sign his name as the Sinning Painter Mustafa Chelebi。 Without 
paying any mind to whether he had or ought to have a style�察�whether it should 
be identified with a signature or�察�like the old masters�察�remain anonymous�察�or 
whether  or  not  a  humble  bearing  required  one  to  do  so�察 �he¨d  just  sign  his 
name with a smile and a victorious flourish。 
He  continued  bravely  down  the  path  I¨d  set  him  on  and  mitted  to 
paper  what  none  before  him  had  been  able  to。  Like  myself�察 �he  too  would 
watch  master  glassblowers  turning  their  rods  and  blowing  glass  melted  in 
ovens to make blue pitchers and green bottles�察�he saw the leather�察�needles and 
wooden molds of the shoemakers who bent with rapt attention over the shoes 
and  boots  they  made�察 �a  horse  swing  tracing  a  graceful  arc  during  a  holiday 
festival�察 �a  press  squeezing  oil  from  seeds�察 �the  firing  of  our  cannon  at  the 
enemy�察�and the screws and the barrels of our guns。 He saw these things and 
painted them without objecting that the old masters of Tamerlane¨s time�察�or 
the legendary illustrators of Tabriz and Kazvin�察�hadn¨t lowered themselves to 
do so。 He was the first Muslim miniaturist to go to war and return safe and 
sound�察�in preparation for the Book of Victories that he would later illustrate。 He 
was  the  first  to  eagerly  study  enemy  fortresses�察 �cannon�察 �armies�察 �horses  with 
bleeding  wounds�察 �injured  soldiers  struggling  for  their  lives  and  corpses!all 
with the intent to paint。 
285 
 
I recognize his work from his subject matter more than his style and from 
his attention to obscure details more than his subject matter。 I could entrust 
him with plete peace of mind to execute all aspects of a painting�察�from the 
arrangement of pages and their position to the coloring of the most trivial 
details。 In this regard�察�he has the right to succeed me as Head Illuminator。 But 
he¨s  so  ambitious  and  conceited�察 �and  so  condescending  toward  the  other 
illustrators  that  he  could  never  manage  so  many  men�察 �and  would  end  up 
losing   them   all。   Actually�察  �if   it   were   left   to   him�察  �with   his   incredible 
industriousness�察 �he¨d  simply  make  all  the  illustrations  in  the  workshop 
himself。 If he put his mind to such a task�察�he could in fact succeed。 He¨s a great 
master。 He knows his craft。 He admires himself。 How nice for him。 
When I visited him unannounced once�察�I caught him at work。 Resting upon 
folding worktables�察�desks and cushions were all the pages he was working on�此�
illustrations for Our Sultan¨s books�察�for me�察�for miserable costume books that 
he dashed off for foolish European travelers eager to belittle us�察�one page of a 
triptych he was making for a pasha who thought highly of himself�察�images to 
be  pasted  in  albums�察 �pages  made  for  his  own  pleasure  and  even  a  vulgar 
rendition  of  coitus。  Tall�察 �thin  Stork  was  flitting  from  one  illustration  to  the 
next  like  a  bee  among  flowers�察 �singing  folk  songs�察 �tweaking  the  cheek  of  his 
apprentice who was mixing paint and adding a ic twist to the painting he 
was working on before showing it to me with a smug chuckle。 Unlike my other 
miniaturists�察�he didn¨t stop working in a ceremonial show of respect when I 
arrived�察 �on  the  contrary�察 �he  happily  exhibited  the  swift  exercise  of  his  God´
given talent and the skill he¨d acquired through hard work ��he could do the 
work  of  seven  or  eight  miniaturists  at  the  same  time��。  Now�察 �I  catch  myself 
secretly  thinking  that  if  the  vile  murderer  is  one  of  my  three  master 
miniaturists�察�I hope to God it¨s Stork。 During his apprenticeship�察�the sight of 
him at my door on Friday mornings didn¨t excite me the way Butterfly did on 
his day。 
Since  he  paid  equal  attention  to  every  odd  detail�察 �with  no  basis  of 
discrimination except that it be visible�察�his aesthetic approach resembled that 
of the Veian masters。 But unlike them�察�my ambitious Stork neither saw nor 
depicted  people¨s  faces  as  individual  or  distinct。  I  assume�察 �since  he  either 
openly or secretly belittled everyone�察�that he didn¨t consider faces important。 
I¨m certain deceased Enishte didn¨t appoint him to draw Our Sultan¨s face。 
Even when depicting a subject of the utmost importance�察�he couldn¨t keep 
from situating a skeptical dog somewhere at some distance from the event�察�or 
drawing  a  disgraceful  beggar  whose  misery  demeaned  the  wealth  and 
286 
 
extravagance of a ceremony。 He had enough self´confidence to mock whatever 
illustration he made�察�its subject and himself。 
^Elegant Effendi¨s murder resembles the way Joseph¨s brothers tossed him 
into a well out of jealousy�察院�said Black。 ^And my Enishte¨s death resembles the 
unforeseen murder of H┨srev at the hands of his son who had his heart set on 
H┨srev¨s wife�察�Shirin。 Everyone says that Stork loved to paint scenes of war and 
gruesome depictions of death。 ̄ 
^Anyone who thinks an illuminator resembles the subject of the picture he 
paints doesn¨t understand me or my master miniaturists。 What exposes us is 
not the subject�察�which others have missioned from us!these are always 
the same anyway!but the hidden sensibilities we include in the painting as 
we render that subject�此�A light that seems to radiate from within the picture�察�a 
palpable hesitancy or anger one notices in the position of figures�察�horses 
and trees�察�the desire and sorrow emanating from a cypress as it reaches to the 
heavens�察 �the  pious  resignation  and  patience  that  we  introduce  into  the 
illustration   when   we   ornament   wall   tiles   with   a   fervor   that   tempts 
blindness´Yes�察�these are our hidden traces�察�not those identical horses all in a 
row。 When a painter renders the fury and speed of a horse�察�he doesn¨t paint 
his own fury and speed�察�by trying to make the perfect horse�察�he reveals his love 
for the richness of this world and its creator�察�displaying the colors of a passion 
for life!only that and nothing more。 ̄ 
 
 
   
287 
 
I AM CALLED BLACK 
 
Various manuscript pages lay before me and the great Master Osman!some 
with  calligraphed  texts  and  ready  to  be  bound�察 �some  not  yet  colored  or 
otherwise  unfinished  for  whatever  reason!as  we  spent  an  entire  afternoon 
evaluating  the  master  miniaturists  and  the  pages  of  my  Enishte¨s  book�察�
keeping  charts  of  our  assessments。  We  thought  we¨d  seen  the  last  of  the 
mander¨s respectful but crude men�察�who¨d brought us the pages collected 
from the miniaturists and calligraphers whose homes they raided and searched 
��some pieces had nothing whatsoever to do with either of our two books and 
some  pages  confirmed  that  the  calligraphers�察 �as  well�察 �were  secretly  accepting 
work from outside th
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