第20部分(第3/7 頁)

the Uzbek

artists of Bukhara； master miniaturists would wash their eyes with water

blessed by sheikhs。 But of all of these precautions； the purest approach to

blindness　was　discovered　in　Herat　by　the　miniaturist　Seyyit　Mirek；　mentor　to

the great master Bihzad。 According to master miniaturist Mirek； blindness

wasn’t　a　scourge；　but　rather　the　crowning　reward　bestowed　by　Allah　upon　the

illuminator　who　had　devoted　an　entire　life　to　His　glories；　for　illustrating　was

the　miniaturist’s　search　for　Allah’s　vision　of　the　earthly　realm；　and　this　unique

perspective could only be attained through recollection after blindness

descended；　only　after　a　lifetime　of　hard　work　and　only　after　the　miniaturist’s

eyes　tired　and　he　had　expended　himself。　Thus；　Allah’s　vision　of　His　world　only

bees manifest through the memory of blind miniaturists。 When this

image　es　to　the　aging　miniaturist；　that　is；　when　he　sees　the　world　as　Allah

sees　it　through　the　darkness　of　memory　and　blindness；　the　illustrator　will　have

spent　his　lifetime　training　his　hand　so　it　might　transfer　this　splendid　revelation

to　the　page。　According　to　the　historian　Mirza　Muhammet　Haydar　Duglat；　who

wrote extensively about the legends of Herat miniaturists； the master Seyyit

Mirek； in his explication of the aforementioned notion of painting； used the

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example　of　the　illustrator　who　wanted　to　draw　a　horse。　He　reasoned　that　even

the　most　untalented　painter—one　whose　head　is　empty　like　those　of　today’s

Veian　painters—who　draws　the　picture　of　a　horse　while　looking　at　a　horse

will　still　make　the　image　from　memory；