Historical and scientific analysis of Iranian illuminated manuscripts and miniature paintings

The present study aims to identify the materials and techniques used in Persian illuminated manuscripts and miniature paintings and its major significance in comparison with Indo-Iranian and Mughal paintings. The research methodology was based on oral interviews with traditional masters, historical analysis and scientific analysis. During the historical survey over 30 Persian historical treaties from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries (i.e. from the Timurid through to the Qajar period) were collected and studied. All the recipes from these treaties were categorized and information was used as the basis for scientific analysis. Scientific analysis to reveal the materials used in different paint layers of Persian miniature painting was carried out. For this task, twelve selected illuminated manuscripts, miniature paintings and paint boxes from the sixteenth to late nineteenth century were collected. For comparative analytical research, an Indo-Iranian miniature painting, as well as two paintings belonging to the Mughal period were also collected and added to the samples as the references