THE ARTS OF THE ISLAMIC BOOK,

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1 HARC E-127 Graduate Seminar: Syllabus and Readings Tuesday, 7:40-9:40 pm, Sackler Building 119 Professor David J. Roxburgh Office: Sackler Building 410 Telephone: Office hours: Tuesday 6:00 7:00 pm Spring 2016 THE ARTS OF THE ISLAMIC BOOK, The seminar focuses on the arts of the book in the central Islamic lands in the period between the Mongol invasions and the years immediately after the death of the Safavid ruler Shah Tahmasp (d. 1576). During this period, fine editions of books came to occupy a central place in the artistic culture of royal and sub-royal courts of Iran and Central Asia. After developing knowledge of the history of the arts of the book, its key literary texts and visual traditions, the seminar goes on to examine topics as a problem-oriented inquiry. Aspects of book production materials, codicology, calligraphy, illumination, and painting are studied through material and written sources (recipe books, technical treatises, and prefaces to albums). Topics that we will consider include the organization of painting according to schools and styles; models of patronage (focusing on courtsponsored manuscripts and the kitabkhana, workshop ); the development of techniques and the changing aesthetics of the book; the creation of visual idioms; artistic transmission; and the relation between word and image. Readings All readings are required and should be read before each weekly meeting of the seminar. The readings come from three sources: books, chapters from books, and articles. All books and copies of articles and book chapters not available for free download on JSTOR are on reserve at the Grossman Library. Articles and book chapters are arranged by the author s last name in a binder at Grossman Library. Selected articles and book chapters are also to be found on the course website. Some of the books used in the seminar may be available for purchase at booksellers in Harvard Square, or can be ordered through Internet booksellers. Requirements In addition to weekly attendance and participation in classroom discussions, each student is responsible for making an oral presentation about one of the required readings (not exceeding 15 minutes); and writing a research paper (topics to be agreed upon in consultation with professor), not exceeding 15 pp., to be accompanied by references, bibliography, and illustrations. The research paper is due on May 3 rd by 6:00pm. The written assignment should be submitted in hard copy or by as pdfs. 1

2 Grading Weekly classroom discussion 40%; oral presentation 20%; research paper 40%. Late work without an extension is not accepted. Extensions should be requested at least 48 hours in advance of the deadline from the Professor; medical or other emergencies need to be documented. More than two absences from seminar meetings will be downgraded by a full letter grade and additional grade reductions will be applied to further absences. Academic Integrity You are responsible for understanding Harvard Extension School policies on academic integrity ( and how to use sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules, running out of time, submitting the wrong draft, or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses. There are no excuses for failure to uphold academic integrity. To support your learning about academic citation rules, please visit the Harvard Extension School Tips to Avoid Plagiarism ( where you will find links to the Harvard Guide to Using Sources and two, free, online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of academic citation policy. The tutorials are anonymous open-learning tools. Disability Services The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Disability Services Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities. Please visit for more information. 2

3 READINGS AND SEMINAR TOPICS BY WEEK Jan. 26 Feb. 2 OVERVIEW: THE MATERIAL AND THEMES OF THE SEMINAR THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT Barbara Brend, Islamic Art, introduction, chaps. 5 and 6. Feb. 9 THE ARTS OF THE BOOK, CA Johannes Pedersen, The Arabic Book, chaps Sheila Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom, The Art and Architecture of Islam, , chap. 3. Basil Gray, ed., The Arts of the Book in Central Asia 14th 16th Centuries, introduction and chap. 4. Feb. 16 THE ARTS OF THE BOOK, CA Basil Gray, ed., The Arts of the Book in Central Asia 14th 16th Centuries, chaps R. W. Ferrier, ed., The Arts of Persia, chaps. 13 and 15 (E. Sims and E. Grube, Painting, and B. Brend, The Arts of the Book ). Feb. 23 THE ARTS OF THE BOOK, CA Review assigned readings from week of Feb. 16 March 1 THE CODEX: MATERIALS, METHODS, AND TOOLS OF THE TRADE Gulnar K. Bosch, Islamic Bindings and Bookmaking, pp Yves Porter, Painters, paintings, and books, chaps. 2 and 4. [or corresponding chaps. in French edition, Peinture et arts du livre: Essai sur la littérature technique indo-persane]. Jonathan M. Bloom, Paper Before Print, chaps. 1 and 2. Simi Nishapuri, Treatise on Calligraphic Arts, trans. Thackston. March 8 THE DESIGN AND VISUAL IDIOMS OF BOOKS Thomas Lentz and Glenn Lowry, Timur and the Princely Vision, chaps. 2 and 3. Porter, Painters, paintings, and books, chap. 3. 3

4 David J. Roxburgh, Persian Drawing, ca : Materials and Creative Procedures [JSTOR] [March Spring Break] March 22 THE WHOLE BOOK: STRUCTURE AND AESTHETICS Sheila Blair, The Development of the Illustrated Book in Iran. [JSTOR] Oleg Grabar, Persian Miniatures: Illustrations or Paintings. Lisa Golombek, Toward a Classification of Islamic Painting. Priscilla Soucek, The Manuscripts of Iskandar Sultan: Structure and Content. March 29 THE WORKSHOP: MODELS OF PRODUCTION AND PATRONAGE Sheila S. Blair, A Compendium of Chronicles, introduction, chaps. 1 4, and app. 1. Anonymous, Arzadasht [Progress Report, ca. 1430], in Wheeler Thackston, trans., Album Prefaces and Other Documents on the History of Calligraphers and Painters, pp Porter, Painters, paintings, and books, chap. 9. Marianna Shreve Simpson, The Making of Manuscripts and the Workings of the Kitab-khana in Safavid Iran. April 5 NIZAMI S KHAMSA (QUINTET): WORD AND IMAGE Peter Chelkowski, The Seven Princesses, in Mirror of the Invisible World, ed. Peter Chelkowski, pp Nizami Ganjavi, The Haft Paykar: A Medieval Persian Romance, trans. Meisami, pp , Johann C. Bürgel, Love on Sight of Pictures, in Feather of Simurgh, pp April 12 SA DI S BUSTAN (ORCHARD): THE ARTIST BIHZAD Thomas W. Lentz, Changing Worlds: Bihzad and the New Painting, in Persian Masters: Five Centuries of Painting, ed. Sheila R. Canby, pp Ebadollah Bahari, Bihzad, Master of Persian Painting, introduction and chap. 4. David J. Roxburgh, Kamal al-din Bihzad and Authorship in Persian Painting. [JSTOR] April 19 FIRDAWSI S SHAHNAMA (BOOK OF KINGS): IDEOLOGY IN THE GREAT MONGOL SHAHNAMA AND SHAH TAHMASP S SHAHNAMA Oleg Grabar and Sheila Blair, Epic Images and Contemporary History, pp

5 Robert Hillenbrand, The Iconography of the Shah-nama-yi Shahi. Stuart Cary Welch, A King s Book of Kings, pp April 26 WRITTEN SOURCES ON THE STUDY OF THE ARTS OF THE BOOK Wheeler M. Thackston, Album Prefaces and Other Documents on the History of Calligraphers and Painters, pp and (prefaces by Dust Muhammad and Malik Daylami), and Miscellaneous Documents, p. 50 and p. 51. Qazi Ahmad b. Mir Munshi, Calligraphers and Painters, trans. V. Minorsky. May 3 Deadline for Final Papers, due by 6:00 pm 5

Album Prefaces And Other Documents On The History Of Calligraphers And Painters (Muqarnas, Supplements) By Wheeler Thackston READ ONLINE

Album Prefaces And Other Documents On The History Of Calligraphers And Painters (Muqarnas, Supplements) By Wheeler Thackston READ ONLINE If searched for a ebook Album Prefaces and Other Documents on the