Art Quiz: The Answer is The Tabriz School

I knew absolutely nothing about the Tabriz school — or any of the others listed as possible answers. So this quiz question gave me an opportunity to expand my knowledge of art history. Here is what I found:

Tabrīz school, in painting, school of miniaturists founded by the Mongol Il-Khans early in the 14th century and active through the first half of the 16th century. The style represented the first full penetration of East Asian traditions into Islamic painting, an influence that was extreme at first but then blended with the native idiom. From — Tabriz School Painting – Britannica

Another source — Iran Chamber Society — provides this information:

At the close of the 13th Century, the Tabriz school of art had been established. The early artistic development of the Tabriz school differed from that of Shiraz, as their illustrations tended to combine Far Eastern traits with the Armeno-Byzantine style of painting. This latter influence can be explained by the geographical situation of Tabriz, which is on the frontier of the Armenian region.

You can read more here: A Brief History of Persian Miniature

What I’ve learned is that while there were differences between the art of the various “schools” — Shiraz, Tabriz, and Herat being the primary ones — there were certain common characteristics in all Persian miniature art: the use of bright colors, even light, a lack of shadow, three-quarter round faces, and non-perspective images.

The British Institute of Persian Studies has a fascinating article describing the materials and techniques used by these “miniaturists”.  “Art In Context” also has an excellent look at Persian art here — A History of Ancient Persian Paintings and Iranian Art .

You might also enjoy watching this video: Paradise in Miniature:

I hope you enjoyed this “Art Quiz” feature!

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