Origin- Tabriz, Aq Qoyunlu ruled Iran, fifteenth century.
The above artwork is a painting by Muhammad 'Siyah Qalam', a remarkable yet less recurred name in the world of Iranian paintings. Though there is still an ongoing debate that whether Siyah Qalam was just the name of a particular artist or rather a sobriquet used by artist working in a specific style over generations, scholars suggest that Muhammad Siyah Qalam was one of the painters at the atelier of Aq Qoyunlu ruler Yaqub, stationed at Tabriz. It is said that the patronage extended to art under Yaqub, its withdrawal under his successor, Rostam, the political chaos of the period and the difficulties it created, the gradual fall of the Aq Qoyunlu rule and its constant tussle with the Sufis inspired the raw, grotesque art for which he is known in history. In many of his paintings, Sufis are represented sometimes in the form of demons, engaging in practices such as ritualistic dancing (raqs), as pointed out by some scholars. Others have pointed out the depiction of Central Asian cultural traditions and folklores of pre- Islamic period, as is evident in the recurrence of demons, dead Sufi saints, dervishes and fairy like figures. This artistic representations a unique confluence of Central Asian, Persian, Chinese, Mongol and Indian traditions and art styles, reflected in the theme and stylization in his art. The limited colour palette, use of rough paper canvas, deep lines and intense expression that his subjects carry are seen as a result of the scourge that Mongol invasions under Chenghiz Khan left on art in Persia. Apart from cultural practices and folk stories, Siyah Qalam's painting also capture the regional flora and fauna, often depicted in form of trees, mountains, antelope and cattle. The above painting one of the fine examples of his artistry, which depicts some demons and a dead engaging in a ritualistic dance. The painting is a folio from a large collection of paintings penned under his name which now lie in the famous 'Fetih' album kept at the Topkapi Palace Museum, Turkey.
The painting is really interesting and unique in that it unsettles you at first but then you realise that the painter is trying to depict sufi saints as a demons. This makes sense since death of sufi saints is revered as urs, marriage to god, and they celebrated in their death.
