KAMOLIDDIN BEHZOD: SHAPING THE CULTURAL HERITAGE (International Affairs (6 / 2025 №112))

Abstract:

Kamoliddin Behzod was an outstanding miniature artist of the Renaissance era who left behind a whole generation of renowned painters active in the ancient states of Central Asia and the Middle East. The miniature traditions developed by Behzod—an undisputed innovator—spread through the illumination of Eastern manuscripts and played a significant role in the development of Orientalism in Western painting. The greatest master of Eastern miniature, who lived during the golden age of book art, Kamoliddin Behzod (circa 1455–1536), is the subject of research by many authors, historians, and art scholars studying the Timurid Empire. In the article, the author thoroughly analyzes the legacy of this Timurid-era miniaturist, preserved in Iran, India, and Turkey, while systematizing the artistic principles developed by this genius master. Over the years, scholars compiled extensive material on the historical facts of Behzod’s life and the development patterns in his art and that of his disciples. The art of Behzod can be divided into three periods: 1480–1487, 1488–1510, and 1510–1535. One of the most prominent researchers of Eastern miniature was Ebadolla Bahari. The foreword to Bakhari’s research about Behzod's art was written by the renowned German Orientalist, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Marburg, Annemarie Schimmel (1922–2003). Bakhari’s attribution of miniatures to Behzod requires further scholarly examination, an assessment shared by many researchers of Behzod.

Keywords: miniature, artist, manuscripts, research, Orientalism, Renaissance, Timurids.