TIMURID ARCHITECTURE

Aqsaray (White Palace), Timur's palace in Shar-i Sabz (Green City), 1379-96
Shrine of Ahmad Yasavi d. 1166 (founder of the Yasavi order), Turkestan City

Samarkand
*Mosque of Bibi Khanum, 1399
Shah-i Zindeh ("The Living King") Necropolis, late 14th, early 15th century
*Gur-i-Mir, 1420, Tomb of Timur
Registan
        Madrasa of Ulu Bey, 1420

Ghiyathiyya Madrasa in Khargird , 1442-5, architect Qavam al-Din

                                               TIMURID PAINTING

Colossal manuscript of the Koran, 1400-25
Stone Koran stand in the Mosque of Bibi Khanum

Anthology made for Iskander Sultan, 1410/11
        Illustrations of Mecca

Anthology made for Iskander Sultan, 1411
        Prisoners before Khusraw
        Iskander Peeping at the Sirens as They Sport by a Lake

*Kalila wa Dimna, Herat, dated 1429, made for Baysunghur ibn Shahrukh
        Court of Prince Baysunghur on two folios
        Fox and Drum
        Owls and Crow

Paintings on Silk, Iran or Central Asia, 1425-50
        Princely Couple with Attendants
        Four Figures Beneath a Tree

Detached Manuscript Leaves
        Humay and Humayun in a Garden, 1430
        Tahmina Enters Rustam's Chamber, 1434-40

Mir'ajnama, 1436
        The Torment of Those Who Squander the Inheritance of Orphans
        The Prophet Muhammad and the Angel Gabriel

*Album pages by "Siyah Kalem," Central Asia, early 15th century, from an album assembled in Ottoman times, show strong far-eastern influences.
        Demons Making Music
        Dance of the Black Shamans
        Procession of Falconers

Find these images and more at the following web site.  (The thumbnails appear a bit distorted, click for large beautiful images.)

http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/turkis.html

Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Muhammed Juki, before 1444
        The Simurgh Restores the Child Zal to his Father Sam
        Gustaham Beheading Farshidward

Drawing by Bihzad, Two Seated Men, 1480-90

*Zafarnama (History of Tamerlane), 1467, Bihzad
        Construction of the Congregational Mosque, Samarkand
        Assault on Smyrna
        Timur Granting an Audience in Balkh

*Bustan (Orchard) by Sa'di, Painted by Bizhad, 1488
        King Dara and the Herdsman
        The Seduction of Yusuf

Manuscript of the Khamsa (Five Poems) of Nizami, perhaps illustrated by Bizhad and others, 1493 (B.M. 25900)
        Majnun Visits the Ka'aba, attributed to Bizhad
        Majnun at the Battle of Clans, signed by Bizhad
        Bahram Gur Slays the Dragon

Second Manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami, illustrated by Bizhad and others, 1494/5. Made for Amir Ali Farsi Barlas, officer of the court of Sultan Husayn (B.M. 6810)
        Frontispiece
        Bahram Gur and the Dragon
        Building of a Fortress, by Bizhad
        Bathing Maidens Observed by the Eavesdropping Master
        compare painting by Gêrome, Turkish Bath
        Harun al-Rashid and the Barber
        Iskander and the Seven Sages
        Compare illustration from the Maqamat
        Laila and Majnun at School
        Shirin Views Khusraw's Portrait
        Night Journey of Muhammad

Examples of Pottery and Metalwork
 

Study Questions:  Compare a series of tombs from the Iranian tradition:  the Mausoleum of the Samanids in Bukhara, the Gunbad-i-Qabud at Maragha, the Tomb of Uljaytu and the Gur-i Mir of Timur.  What are their common features?  How does this form evolve over time?

        Analyze a Timurid manuscript illustration, try to describe the nature of its style.

For more information on Timurid monuments consult T. Lenz and G. Lowry, Timur and the Princely Vision.

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