章节目录 I AM CALLED “BUTTERFLY”

(88106 www.88106.info)    Themiddayprayershadyettobecalled.Aknockatthedoor:IopenedittofindBlackEffendi,whowasamongusforawhileduringourapprenticeships.Weembracedandkissedonthecheeks.Iwaswonderingwhetherhe’dbroughtsomewordfromhisEnishte,whenhesaidthathewantedtolookatthepagesI’dbeenillustratingandatmypaintings,thathe’dcalledinfriendship,andwasgoingtodirectaquestiontomeinthenameofOurSultan.“Verywell,”Isaid,“what’sthequestionI’mtoanswer?”

    Hetoldme.Verywell,then!

    StyleandSignature“Aslongasthenumberofworthlessartistsmotivatedbymoneyandfameinsteadofthepleasureofseeingandabeliefintheircraftincreases,”Isaid,“wewillcontinuetowitnessmuchmorevulgarityandgreedakintothispreoccupationwith”style“and”signature.“”Imadethisintroductionbecausethiswasthewayitisdone,notbecauseIbelievedwhatIsaid.Trueabilityandtalentcouldn’tbecorruptedevenbytheloveofgoldorfame.Furthermore,iftruthbetold,moneyandfamearetheinalienablerightsofthetalented,asinmycase,andonlyinspireustogreaterfeats.ButifIweretosaythisopenly,themediocreillustratorsintheminiaturists’division,rabidwithenvy,wouldpounceuponme,so,toprovethatIlovethisworkmorethantheythemselvesdo,I’llpaintthepictureofatreeonagrainofrice.I’mwellawarethatthislustfor“style,”“signature‘and”character“hascometousallthewayfromtheEastbywayofcertainunfortunateChinesemasterswho’vebeenledastrayundertheinfluenceoftheEuropeans,bypicturesbroughttherefromtheWestbyJesuitpriests.Nevertheless,letmetellyouthreeparablesthatcomprisearecitalonthistopic.”

    ThreeParablesonStyleandSignatureALIFOnceuponatime,totheNorthofHerat,inamountaincastle,therelivedayoungKhanwhowasfascinatedwithilluminatingandpainting.ThisKhanlovedonlyoneofthewomeninhisharem,andthisstrikingTatarwoman,whomhelovedmadly,lovedhiminreturn.Theyengagedinsuchboutsoflovemaking,sweatinguntilmorning,andlivedinsuchecstasythattheironlywishwastoliveeternally.

    Theysoondiscoveredthebestwaytorealizetheirwishwasbyopeningbooksandgazing,forhoursandhoursanddaysonend,upontheastoundingandflawlesspicturesoftheoldmasters.Astheystaredattheseperfectrenderings,unfalteringlyreproduced,theyfeltasthoughtimewouldstopandtheirownfelicitywouldminglewiththeblissofthegoldenagerevealedinthestories.Intheroyalbookmaker’sworkshop,therewasaminiaturist,amasterofmasters,whomadethesameflawlesspiecesoverandoverforthesamepagesofthesamebooks.Aswashiscustom,themasterdepictedtheanguishofFerhad’sloveforShirin,orthelovinganddesirousglancesbetweenLeylaandMejnun,ortheduplicitous,suggestivelooksHüsrevandShirinexchangedinthatfabledheavenlygarden—withoneslightalterationhowever:Inplaceoftheselegendarylovers,theartistwouldpainttheKhanandhisTatarbeauty.Beholdingthesepages,theKhanandhisbelovedwerethoroughlyconvincedthattheirrapturewouldneverend,andtheyshoweredthemasterminiaturistwithpraisesandgold.Eventually,however,thisadulationcausedtheminiaturisttostrayfromgoodsense;incitedbytheDevil,hedismissedthefactthathewasbeholdentotheoldmastersfortheperfectionofhispictures,andhaughtilyassumedthatatouchofhisowngeniuswouldmakehisworkevenmoreappealing.TheKhanandhisbeloved,consideringtheseinnovations—thepersonalstylistictouchesofthemasterminiaturist—nothingbutimperfections,weredeeplydisturbedbythem.Inthepaintings,whichtheKhanobservedatlength,hefeltthathisformerblisshadbeendisruptedinnumerousways,andhegrewincreasinglyjealousofhisTatarbeautywhowasdepictedwiththeindividualtouchofthepainter.So,withtheintentionofmakinghisprettyTatarjealous,hemadelovewithanotherconcubine.Hisbelovedwassobereftuponlearningofthisbetrayalfromtheharemgossipsthatshesilentlyhangedherselffromacedartreeintheharemcourtyard.TheKhan,understandingthemistakehe’dmadeandrealizingthattheminiaturist’sownfascinationwithstylelaybehindthisterribleincident,immediatelyblindedthismasterartistwhomtheDevilhadtempted.

    BAOnceuponatimeinacountryintheEasttherewasanelderlySultan,aloverofillustrations,illuminationsandminiatures,wholivedhappilywithhisChinesewifeofunsurpassedbeauty.Alas,itsoonhappenedthattheSultan’shandsomesonfromapreviousmarriageandtheSultan’syoungwifehadbecomeenamoredofeachother.Theson,wholivedinterrorofhistreacheryagainsthisfather,andashamedofhisforbiddenlove,sequesteredhimselfinthebookmaker’sworkshopandgavehimselfovertopainting.Sincehepaintedoutofthesorrowandstrengthofhislove,eachofhispaintingswassomagnificentthatadmirerscouldn’tdistinguishthemfromtheworkoftheoldmasters.TheSultantookgreatprideinhisson,andhisyoungChinesewifewouldsay,“Yes,magnificent!”asshelookeduponthepaintings.“Yet,timewillsurelypass,andifhedoesn’tsignhiswork,noonewillknowthathewastheoneresponsibleforthismajesty.”TheSultanresponded,“Ifmysonsignshispaintings,won’thebeunjustlytakingcreditforthetechniquesandstylesoftheoldmasters,whichhehasimitated?Moreover,ifhesignshiswork,won’thebesaying”Mypaintingsbearmyimperfections“?”TheChinesewife,seeingthatshewouldn’tbeabletoconvinceherelderlyhusbandonthisissueofsignature,was,however,eventuallysuccessfulinpersuadinghisyoungson,confined,asalways,inthebookmaker’sworkshop.Humiliatedathavingtoconcealhislove,persuadedbyhisprettyyoungstepmother’sideasandwiththeDevil’scoercion,thesonsignedhisnameinacornerofapainting,betweenwallandgrass,inaspotheassumedwasbeyondnotice.This,thefirstpicturehesigned,wasascenefromHüsrevand

    Shirin.Youknowtheone:AfterHüsrevandShirinarewed,Shiruye,Hüsrev’ssonfromhisfirstmarriage,fallsinlovewithShirin.Onenight,enteringtheirbedchamberthroughthewindow,Shiruyeswiftlysinkshisdaggerintohisfather’schest.WhentheSultansawhisson’sdepictionofthisscene,hewasovercomewiththesensethatthepaintingembodiedsomeflaw;he’dseenthesignature,butwasn’tconsciouslyawareofit,andhesimplyreactedtothepicturewiththethought,“Thispaintingbearsaflaw.”Andsinceonewouldneverexpectanysuchthingfromtheoldmasters,theSultanwasseizedbyakindofpanic,suspectingthatthisvolumehewasreadingrecountednotastoryoralegend,butwhatwasmostunbefittingabook:realityitself.Whentheelderlymansensedthis,hewasovercomewithterror.Hisillustratorsonhadenteredthroughthewindow,asinthepainting,andwithoutevenlookingtwiceathisfather’sbulgingeyes,swiftlydrovehisdagger—aslargeastheoneinthepainting—intohisfather’schest.

    DJIMInhisHistory,RashiduddinofKazvinmerrilywritesthat250yearsagoinKazvin,manuscriptillumination,calligraphyandillustrationwerethemostesteemedandbelovedarts.ThereigningShahinKazvinatthattimeruledoverfortycountriesfromByzantiumtoChina—perhapstheloveofbookartswasthesecretofthisgreatpower—butalas,hehadnomaleheir.Topreventthelandshe’dconqueredfrombeingdividedupafterhisdeath,theShahdecidedtofindabrightminiaturisthusbandforhisbeautifuldaughter,andtowardthisend,arrangedacompetitionamongthethreegreatyoungmastersofhisatelier,allofwhomwerebachelors.AccordingtoRashiduddin’sHistory,theobjectofthecompetitionwasverysimple:Whoevermadethemostremarkablepaintingwouldbethevictor!LikeRashiduddinhimself,theyoungminiaturistsknewthatthismeantpaintinginthemanneroftheoldmasters,andthus,eachofthethreemadearenditionofthemostwidelylikedscene:InagardenreminiscentofHeavenitself,ayoungandbeautifulmaidenstoodamidcypressandcedartrees,amongtimidrabbitsandanxiousswallows,immersedinlovelorngrief,staringattheground.Unknowingly,thethreeminiaturistshadrenderedthesamesceneexactlyastheoldmasterswouldhave;yet,theonewhowantedtodistinguishhimselfandtherebytakeresponsibilityforthepainting’sbeautyhadhiddenhissignatureamongthenarcissusflowersinthemostsecludedspotinthegarden.Andonaccountofthisbrazenact,bywhichtheartistbrokewiththehumilityoftheoldvirtuosos,hewasimmediatelyexiledfromKazvintoChina.Thus,thecompetitionwasbegunanewbetweenthetworemainingminiaturists.Thistime,bothpaintedapicturelovelyasapoem,depictingabeautifulmaidenmountedonherhorseinamagnificentgarden.Butoneoftheminiaturists—whetherbyaslipofhisbrushorbyintent,nooneknew—haddepictedstrangelythenostrilsofthewhitehorsebelongingtothemaidenwithChineseeyesandhighcheekbones,andthiswasstraightawayperceivedasaflawbytheShahandhisdaughter.True,thisminiaturisthadn’tsignedhisname,butinhissplendidpainting,he’dapparentlyincludedamasterfulvariationinthehorse’snostrilstodistinguishthework.TheShah,declaringthat“Imperfectionisthemotherofstyle,”exiledthisillustratortoByzantium.YettherewasonelastsignificanteventaccordingtotheweightyHistorybyRashiduddinofKazvin,whichoccurredwhenpreparationswerebeingmadefortheweddingbetweentheShah’sdaughterandthetalentedminiaturist,whopaintedexactlyliketheoldmasterswithoutanysignatureorvariation:Fortheentiredaybeforethewedding,theShah’sdaughtergazedgrief-strickenatthepaintingmadebytheyoungandhandsomegreatmasterwhowastobecomeherhusbandonthemorrow.Asdarknessfellthatevening,shepresentedherselfto

    herfather:“Itistrue,yes,thattheoldmasters,intheirexquisitepaintings,woulddepictbeautifulmaidensasChinese,andthisisanunalterablerulecometousfromtheEast,”shesaid.“Butwhentheylovedsomeone,thepainterswouldincludeanaspectoftheirbelovedintherenderingofthebeautifulmaiden’sbrow,eye,lip,hair,smile,oreveneyelash.Thissecretvariationintheirillustrationswouldbeasignthatcouldbereadbytheloversandtheloversalone.I’vestaredatthebeautifulmaidenmountedonherhorseforthewholeday,mydearfather,andthere’snotraceofmeinher!Thisminiaturistisperhapsagreatmaster,he’syoungandhandsome,buthedoesnotloveme.”Thereupon,theShahcanceledtheweddingatonce,andfatheranddaughterlivedouttheremainderoftheirlivestogether.

    “Thus,accordingtothisthirdparable,imperfectiongivesrisetowhatwecall”style,“”saidBlackquitepolitelyandrespectfully.“Anddoesthefactthattheminiaturistisinlovebecomeapparentfromthehidden”sign“intheimageofthebeauty’sface,eyeorsmile?”

    “Nay,”Isaidinamannerthatbespokemyconfidenceandpride.“Whatpassesfromthemaiden,thefocusofthemasterminiaturist’slove,tohispictureisnotultimatelyimperfectionorflawbutanewartisticrule.Because,afteratimeandthroughimitation,everyonewillbegintodepictthefacesofmaidensjustlikethatparticularbeautifulmaiden’sface.”

    Wefellsilent.IsawthatBlack,who’dlistenedintentlytothethreeparablesIrecounted,hadnowfocusedhisattentionsuponthesoundsmyattractivewifemadeassheroamedthehallwayandthenextroom.Iglaredathimmenacingly.

    “Thefirststoryestablishedthat”style“isimperfection,”Isaid.“Thesecondstoryestablishedthataperfectpictureneedsnosignature,andthethirdmarriestheideasofthefirstandthesecond,andthusdemonstratesthat”signature‘and“style”arebutmeansofbeingbrazenlyandstupidlyself-congratulatoryaboutflawedwork.“Howmuchdidthisman,towhomI’djustgivenaninvaluablelesson,understandofpainting?Isaid:“HaveyouunderstoodwhoIamfrommystories?”

    “Certainly,”hesaid,withoutconviction.

    Soyoudon’ttrytodiscernwhoIamthroughhiseyesandperceptions,allowmetotellyoudirectly.Icandoanything.LiketheoldmastersofKazvin,Icandrawandcolorwithpleasureandglee.Isaythiswithasmile:I’mbetterthaneverybody.IhavenothingwhatsoevertodowiththereasonforBlack’svisit,which—ifperchancemyintuitionservesmecorrectly—isthedisappearanceofElegantEffenditheGilder.

    Blackaskedmeaboutthemixingofmarriageandart.

    IworkalotandIenjoymywork.Irecentlymarriedthemostbeautifulmaidenintheneighborhood.WhenI’mnotilluminating,wemakelovelikemad.ThenIsettoworkingagain.That’snothowI

    answered.“It’saseriousissue,”Isaid.“Ifmasterpiecesissuefromthebrushofaminiaturist,whenitcomestoissuingittohiswife,he’llbeatalosstobestirthesamejoy,”Isaid.“Theoppositeholdstrueaswell:Ifaman’sreedsatisfiesthewife,hisreedofartistrywillpaleincomparison,”Iadded.Likeeveryonewhoenviesthetalentoftheminiaturist,Black,too,believedtheseliesandwasheartened.

    HesaidhewantedtoseethelastpagesI’dillustrated.Iseatedhimatmyworktable,amongthepaints,inkwells,burnishingstones,brushes,pensandreed-cuttingboards.Blackwasexaminingthedouble-leafpaintingIwasintheprocessofcompletingfortheBookofFestivities,whichportrayedOurPrince’scircumcisionceremony,andIsatbesidehimontheredcushionwhosewarmthremindedmethatmybeautifulwifewithhergorgeousthighshadbeensittinghererecently;indeed,IhadusedmyreedpentodrawthesorrowoftheunfortunateprisonersbeforeOurSultan,asmyintelligentwifeclungtothereedofmymanhood.

    Thetwo-pagesceneIwaspaintingdepictedthedeliveranceofcondemnedandimprisoneddebtorsandtheirfamiliesbythegraceofOurSultan.I’dsituatedtheSultanonthecornerofacarpetcoveredinbagsfullofsilvercoins,asI’dpersonallywitnessedduringsuchceremonies.BehindHim,I’dlocatedtheHeadTreasurerholdingandreadingoutofthedebtledger.I’dportrayedthecondemneddebtors,chainedtoeachotherbytheironshacklesaroundtheirnecks,intheirmiseryandpainwithknitbrows,longfacesandsomewithtearyeyes.I’dpaintedtheluteplayersinshadesofredwithbeatificfacesastheyaccompaniedthejoyousprayersandpoemsthatfollowedtheSultan’spresentationofHisbenevolentgift:sparingthecondemnedfromprison.Toemphasizedeliverancefromthepainandembarrassmentofdebt—thoughIhadnosuchplanattheoutset—besidethelastofthemiserableprisoners,I’dincludedhiswife,wearingapurpledressinthewretchednessofdestitution,alongwithhislonghaireddaughter,sorrowfulyetbeautiful,cladinacrimsonmantle.SothatthismanBlack,withhisfurrowedbrows,mightunderstandhowillustratingequaledlove-of-life,Iwasgoingtoexplainwhythechainedgangofdebtorswasextendedacrosstwopages;Iwasgoingtotellhimaboutthehiddenlogicofredwithinthepicture;IwasgoingtoelucidatethethingsmywifeandIhadlaughinglydiscussedwhileadmiringthepiece,suchashowI’dlovinglycolored—somethingtheoldmastersneverdid—thedogrestingofftothesideinpreciselythesamehueastheSultan’scaftanofatlassilk,butheaskedmeaveryrude,discourteousquestion:

    WouldI,perchance,haveanyideawhereunfortunateElegantEffendimightbe?

    Whatdidhemean“unfortunate”!Ididn’tsaythatElegantEffendiwasaworthlessplagiarist,afoolwhodidhisgildingformoneyalonewithnaryahintofinspiration.“Nay,”Isaid,“Idonotknow.”

    HadIeverconsideredthattheaggressiveandfanaticalfollowersofthepreacherfromErzurummight’vedoneElegantEffendiharm?

    ImaintainedmycomposureandrefrainedfromrespondingthatElegantEffendihimselfwasnodoubtoneoftheirlot.“Nay,”Isaid.“Why?”

    Thepoverty,plague,immoralityandscandalweareslavetointhiscityofIstanbulcanonlybeattributedtoourhavingdistancedourselvesfromtheIslamofthetimeofOurProphet,ApostleofGod,toadoptingnewandvilecustomsandtoallowingFrankish,Europeansensibilitiestoflourishinourmidst.ThisisallthatthePreacherErzurumiissaying,buthisenemiesattempttopersuadetheSultanotherwisebyclaimingthattheErzurumisareattackingdervishlodgeswheremusicisplayed,andthatthey’redefacingthetombsofsaints.TheyknowIdon’tsharetheiranimositytowardHisExcellencyErzurumi,sothey’remakingpoliteinsinuations:“AreyoutheonewhohastakencareofourbrotherElegantEffendi?”

    Itsuddenlydawnedonmethattheserumorshadlongbeenspreadingamongtheminiaturists.Thatgroupofuninspired,untalentedincompetentswasgleefullyallegingthatIwasnothingbutabeastlymurderer.IfeltlikeloweringaninkpotontotheCircassianskullofthisbuffoonBlackpurelybecausehetooktheslanderofthisjealousgroupofminiaturistsseriously.

    Blackwasexaminingmyworkshop,committingeverythinghesawtomemory.Hewasintentlyobservingmylongpaperscissors,ceramicbowlsfilledwithyellowpigment,bowlsofpaint,theappleIoccasionallynibbledasIworked,thecoffeepotrestingontheedgeofthestoveintheback,mydiminutivecoffeecups,thecushions,thelightfilteringthroughthehalf-openedwindow,themirrorIusedtocheckthecompositionofapage,myshirtsand,overthere,mywife’sredsashcaughtlikeasininthecornerwhereshe’ddroppeditasshequicklyquittheroomuponhearingBlack’sknockatthefrontdoor.

    DespitethefactthatI’veconcealedmythoughtsfromhim,I’vesurrenderedthepaintingsI’vemadeandthisroomIliveintohisboldandaggressivegaze.Isensethishubrisofminewillbeashocktoyouall,butIamtheonewhoearnsthemostmoney,andtherefore,Iamthebestofallminiaturists!Yes,Godmust’vewantedtheartofilluminationtobeecstasysoHecoulddemonstratehowtheworlditselfisecstasytothosewhotrulysee.

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