ANALYSIS OF BEHZAD HERAVI’S KHAWARNAQ PALACE

Аннотация

Kamal al-Din Behzad, the renowned miniaturist of the ninth century AH/ fifteenth century CE, achieved artistic mastery within the cultural milieu of Herat and played a decisive role in the transformation of Eastern miniature painting. In his works, the human figure serves as the central element of composition, and through the delicacy of line, proportional harmony of the body, and coordination of colors, it dominates the pictorial space.

Attention to clothing and the spiritual expressions of the faces indicates that, in Behzad’s view, the human being symbolizes dignity and divine vicegerency, while other elements such as architecture and nature derive their meaning through a measured relationship with the human figure. A review of previous studies shows that the paintings of Behzad require further analysis, identification, and scholarly investigation—an issue that, unfortunately, has received limited attention. This study places particular emphasis on the analysis of one of his works, The Palace of Khawarnaq. To conduct this research, a library-based method with a descriptive approach was employed, and comprehensive data were collected through the study and examination of authoritative and primary sources. The findings of this study indicate that the painting The Palace of Khawarnaq is among the most outstanding examples of Behzad’s art in a manuscript of the Khamsa by Nizami Ganjavi (896–900 AH), which is preserved in the British Museum.

While visually representing a literary narrative, this work depicts the process of constructing a magnificent building through the dynamic movement of figures and the precise organization of space, demonstrating the artist’s mastery in integrating storytelling with a human-centered approach.