Literary associations, however, were never completely abandoned. Individual illustrations were assembled in albums (muraqqa'), and frequently incorporated writing or were paired with lyrical verses. Others consisted of figural compositions and poems artfully assembled into a visually coherent whole. One of the most popular subject matters consisted of idealized types, such as the handsome youth, the coy young woman, or the wise old master, already familiar from Persian poetry. By drawing on a conventionalized body of imagery, single-page compositions can be interpreted as pictorial equivalents of poetic sentiments and "visual poems" in their own right. next page

Seated Youth Painting signed by Riza Abbasi (ca. 1565–1635) Iran, Isfahan, ca. 1600 Calligraphy signed by Mir Ali (d. 1556) Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper Lent by the Art and History Trust    LTS1995.2.75

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art Exhibition List | Online Exhibitions All presented material is copyright © Smithsonian Institution, 2008 except where otherwise noted.