In the search for the “spiritual dimensions” of an artwork, perhaps we can find the closest answer in a unique and brilliant work, that is, in the painting “Ascension of Hazrat Rasool” by Sultan Mohammad Naqsh. This work, along with three other works attributed to him, is included in the illustrated manuscript of Khumsa Nizami, ordered by Shah Tahmasab Safavi, which was painted and calligraphed between 942 and 947 AH. And its calligrapher is Shah Mahmoud Neishaburi, a very famous and famous calligrapher of the 10th century. At the end of this book, it is stated that “in the city of Rabi al-Awwal, the year of Seventh, Arbaeen, and Nineteenth Year”, its calligraphy was finished, and the paintings were definitely made and painted within five years between the beginning and the end of the book. are
Apparently, this khumsa was preserved in the royal library until the end of the time of Fath Ali Shah Qajar, until it was purchased for the British Museum in 1880, in an unknown way, and it has been kept there until today.
Safavid Shah Tahmasab’s Khamsa Nizami has 396 pages and 14 paintings attributed to Sultan Muhammad, Mirk, Mirza Ali, Mirsaid Ali, and Mozafarali, who are among the greatest artists of their time.
This unique work, although in terms of the number of works, it does not reach the level of Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasbi, but each of its painting sessions are side by side with the best examples of Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasbi and in some places They overtake.
Sultan Muhammad Naqsh, who calls himself “Sultan Muhammad”, “Sultan Muhammad Master” and “Sultan Muhammad Iraqi” in his titles, according to the narration of Qazi Mirahamd Manshi Qomi in the book Golestan Honar. which was written around the year 1000 AH. Sultan Muhammad’s teacher is from Darul Sultanah of Tabriz. When Ustad Behzad came to Iraq from Herat, Sultan Muhammad made the style of Qazalbash better than others. He died in Darul Sultanah of Tabriz. Maulana Mirza Ali is the son of Maulana Masharaliyah. And his image and facial expression was unparalleled and he had brought the image to a point where few people were like him, and in the days of his father, in the library of Shah Jamjah, he found Shah Tahmasab Nasho and Nama.
Dost Mohammad Haravi also mentioned him in the preface of Bahram Mirzai Safavi’s “Master Nizamuddin Sultan Muhammad, who brought the image to a place that has never seen the like of it despite having seen the sky a thousand times, including his crafts that are mentioned in the Shahnameh (1) … It is illustrated, the position of the leopards is that the lions of the picture grove and the tigers and whales of the Tahrir factory are in front of their hearts from the bite of his pen and the astonishment of his face…”. Sultan Mohammad, apparently one of the students of Kamaluddin Behzad school. The deceased was born in 942 AH and he probably went to Tabriz from Herat with him and worked in the royal library. Over the years, Sultan Muhammad has reached the stages of advancement and in the era when Shah Tahmasab paid much attention to painting and calligraphy, he was chosen to be his teacher, and this was the most important privilege that a painter of that era could aspire to achieve. to have it
Sultan Mohammad, like other important artists of his time, continued to work in the royal library, and prestigious artists such as Mohammadi, Borj Ali Ardabili, Ustad Hossein Qazvini, Maulana Mohammad, Mohammad Mu’inuddin, Mir Hossein Dehlavi and his son Mirza Ali benefited from his presence.
The works of Dost Muhammad can be seen, except in Shah Tahmasb’s military book, in Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasbi and in a illustrated divan of Hafez, and besides these, there are pictures of princes and young men studying and a number of other paintings attributed to him. are
The painting “Ascension of Hazrat Rasool” is one of the most brilliant examples in the history of Iranian painting, and undoubtedly, it is among the best paintings of the 10th century AH of Iran – which is a unique period in this unique art. .
In this work, the image of the Prophet. whose blessed face is covered with a white veil. He is shown riding on the bright and among the multitude of cherubim – fifteen angels – and the guiding Gabriel is ahead of the bright in flight.
The composition of this work is in the form of a wide spiral that starts from the bottom right side of the work and ends with the angel placed on the glossy back. At the central point and the center of gravity of this spiral, the Prophet is riding on a shiny image. which has a separate identification with the flaming golden lights around Hazrat and Baraq. Such flames are also placed around Gabriel’s head and can also be seen in the tray and lamp in the hands of two other angels, and the angels, with the exception of Gabriel, are all devoid of this aura of holiness. The moon is painted on the lower right side of the sky, and dense white clouds cover the moon up to half of the sky, and in the sky above the Prophet’s head, numerous golden stars can be seen. Angels with servitude and mahr, majmar and clothes, fruits, food dishes, books (Qur’an?) and crowns are carried, and in exceptional examples, the angel carrying the food dish is depicted in full face. is In order to understand this luxurious and special composition, this painting can be compared with similar paintings, for example, in the book of Merajnameh of 840 A.H. preserved in the National Library of Paris, and its amazing creativity and Its unique realization. In this Merajnameh, which is written in Uyghur script, the images are generally placed in horizontal rectangular frames, and the appropriateness of the subject and the background space is for the benefit of the subject (the Prophet riding on the shiny, angels, buildings and creatures Gharib) and the space is small and it is mostly used for decoration. The variety of movements and postures in it is very limited, and in an example similar to the painting of Sultan Muhammad, where Gabriel is depicted as a scholar, there is little space. Obviously, the one hundred year gap between these two paintings has yielded new experiences and creativity, and such a comparison is not very fair, but in any case, the very lively and full of grace of Sultan Muhammad’s painting, not only in comparison With Timuri’s Merajnameh, which is clearly different from any other work of the 10th century AH. Among other similar examples, we can mention the painting of the Prophet’s ascension in another version of Khamsa Nizami belonging to the year 911 AH.
In this painting, with the same theme, we come across a very detailed and complex collection in which the sky, Kaaba house, trees and mountains are shown in great detail and in the sky. which is placed in a perfect square in the middle of the landscape. The swirling golden clouds cover the Prophet and the angels, and the angels are drawn so delicately and finely that they are not very distinct at first glance, and Gabriel the guide is also absent.
The angels in Sultan Muhammad’s paintings are drawn in a different way and their facial expressions are also different. The special postures of the angel with folded hands in prayer and the angel carrying the book are spectacular. Full-face and half-face faces are also seen among them, and the hats, headbands, and clothes of the angels are also designed in a different way.
The brilliant and elaborate coloring of this painting in the form of three main colors of azure, white and gold, and many colors of yellow, blue, orange, green and red, has created a pleasant and surprising collection. Extremely delicate design and penmanship and accuracy in all details is a sign of the artist’s sincerity and complete attachment to the sacred subject of his work. Some faces. For example, the face drawn on the upper left side of the screen. They are clearly different from other traditional faces of angels, and the gaze of the angel holding the crown is directed towards us, the viewer of the painting, in a completely innovative and exceptional way. In this work, Sultan Muhammad has used a lot of gilding and with the brevity of the decoration, he has provided the necessary space to show moods and movements, and on the other hand, the swirling white clouds and the many and unruly golden flames are a powerful decorative element. They show it in an amazing way. “Ascension of Hazrat Rasool” by Sultan Mohammad Naqash is a complete and worthy example of a religious and spiritual work which, at the same time, is faithful and dependent on all traditional Iranian painting. In this unique masterpiece, all earthly and earthy elements have been used to create a completely extraterrestrial work and the artist’s effort in depicting However incomplete and limited he or any other artist. A plan of the holy agent has led to the perfection that is humanly possible.
The imagination and desire of the artist to achieve such an image also has examples in Western art, from the works of the great artists of the Italian Renaissance to the illustrations of William Blake (1757-1827 AD) and the paintings of the great masters of the Flemish school. It can be observed and followed, but in many examples of Western religious paintings, another result has been achieved: that is, instead of “heavenly elements of earth”, “heavenly elements have become earthy”. A look at the painting. “The Crucifixion” in the Eisenheim Altarpiece, by Matthias Grünewald (1528-1470), a German-born artist who shows all-too-human suffering in Christ’s twisted face and body, as well as in many of the “Crucifixion” scenes painted by Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640), who portrays a stout and fat Christian, is a proof of this type of view and performance. A painter who chooses a religious and spiritual subject knows that all his efforts, imagination and creativity should be used in the way of showing the world of the supernatural, sacred and royal, and such serious depiction is not an easy challenge.
The painting “Ascension of Hazrat Rasool” by Sultan Mohammad Naqash is a sign of his great success and pride in this challenge, the result of which shines like a gem on the background of six hundred years of Iranian painting, and will continue until the human search for reaching the Kingdom continues.
