What “secrets” of the palace are revealed in the miniature dedicated to Sultan Husayn Bayqara?‌‌

The double miniature is made in the court genre, showing various aspects of the life and entertainment of the shahs, sultans and the highest nobility. Unlike his predecessors, who portrayed palace feasts in a panegyric style, Behzad creates a genre picture of court life at the court of Sultan Husayn, subtly noticing characteristic details, carefully recording the behavior of the participants and the environment. 

At the same time, this is also a special genre of portrait such as portrait-painting with the Sultan presented in his environment. He is depicted on the right side of the composition sitting under a canopy, embroidered with images of birds and animals woven into an ornamental background, on a carpet, in a modest green kaba in front of a richly decorated tent. The tent and shed emphasize its dominant position in the composition. In front of him, on an elegant table, are vessels with wine. His figure is turned half-turned to the young man, to whom he holds out a rose; its scent leaves him in a semi-faint state, and the servant has to support him so that he does not fall. Around them were other participants of the feast – invited guests, musicians, and servants serving the feast. One of the guests reads poetry accompanied by musical accompaniment. Music and poetry have a strong emotional impact on those present – one of them fainted, another tears his clothes in a burst of ecstasy and the third plunges into a deep trance. On the left side of the composition, where mostly servants are depicted, one of the guests, very drunk, is led by the arms to the exit. Before entering this part of the courtyard, Behzad depicts the doorkeeper – eshik aga who brandishes a stick at the poor man who wants to get to the feast. Aga's red robe, his dynamic figure contrasts with the leaning back, quivering with fear, the figure of a poor man in black robes.

This miniature is not an image of an ordinary feast, a drinking bout but has a deep mystical meaning, which is revealed in the use of Sufi symbols – the fainting of a young man, a rose, intoxication (the state of ecstasy of some characters); wine carried by servants; the image of a young man tearing clothes in ecstasy; belts – futa (belbag) on all participants as one of the important attributes of a Sufi. Such a belt is worn by Sultan Husayn himself, although according to his status he is supposed to wear a kamarband – a leather belt with gold and silver plaques.

You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "The legacy of Kamal ud-din Behzad in the World Collections" (L volume) in the series "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections".

The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.