Miniatures from Topkapi Museum

The portrait of Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror.ascribed from Sinan Bey.

From Sarai Albums.Istanbul, towards end of 15th century.

Wash-basin in the form of a peacock -Illustrations from al-Jazari 1205

This museum has an outstanding group of Islamic miniature paintings, found in illustrated copies of classic works and as surviving fragments pasted or bound into albums in the former royal libraries. Here's a portrait of a Sultan sniffing a rosebud and grasping his hanky in case he might be allergic. That's how I see it anyway. And here is a mechanical drawing of a wash-basin with a beautiful peacock design from 1205. I always loved the fine-lined delicacy of Persian miniatures.

Topkapi Museum Miniatures

The Art of Amy Crehore