Imom Buxoriy xalqaro ilmiy-tadqiqot markazi bukhari.uz
As the other sources inform us, Kamaliddin Behzad was in good and close relations with the great thinker, philosopher, scholar and poet of his time Abdurrahman Jami, who had been educated in the spiritual environment of Herat and was one of the masters and closest friends of Alisher Navai. Behzad is supposed to have been one of the closest disciples of Abdurrahman Jami. Moreover, Behzad was also in close contact with the greatest artist Sultan Ali Mash-hadi, who was considered to be “the idol” of the scribes, the most respected and estimated calligrapher of his time. This fact was also commented on by the journal “Oriyono” in the following lines:
“Behzad was a contemporary and a close friend of the famous calligraphist Sultan Ali Mashhadi. They usually collaborated on their activities in art. Moreover, Behzad had very close and friendly relations with His Eminency Abdurrahman Jami, who was a great and an estimated poet”.
Due to his diligence and interest to study art, his gift began to flourish. Soon he reached the highest point of respect and became known as a famous miniaturist in Herat. As a result of these endeavours, Behzad was summoned to Herat, to the court of the king Sultan Husain Mirza where he was provided with all facilities and possibilities for his fruitful creative activities. In one of his letters written to his friends, Alisher Navai characterizes Behzad in the following way: “Behzad was summoned to the court of Mirza Sultan Husain, who made a special room for his creative work and made orders to him to create beautiful things. He was a very capable master in the field of book decorations”.
Sometime later, in 1487, in accord with the decree of the king of Herat Sultan Husain Mirza, Kamaliddin Behzad was appointed to the position of the Head of the Royal library. The full text of this decree was provided by a famous historian Ghiasiddin Khandamir in his book “Namai nami”:
“The Decree of the King on the appointment of Master Kamaliddin Behzad to the position of the Head of Herat Library.
In accord with the will of the Painter of the creative workshop and power of the Editor of the sky studio, we order that a leader of artists, a man of rare ability Master Kamaliddin Behzad be appointed to the position of the Head of the Royal Library. He is given plenary authority to control the activities of all the members of the library community.
Edited on fumodi ul-avval 27, 889 A.H. (June 22, 1487).
Thus, in accord with the Decree of the ruler Sultan Husain Mirza, Kamaliddin Behzad had a title of “The leader of artists and a man of rare ability”, and became the leader of the artists and engravers of not only Herat but also the whole Khorasan. His ability in painting and engraving began to flourish at that period and he created the most precious works mainly at that period of time.
A Swedish artist F. R. Martin describes his imagination about the studio of Behzad in Herat and his work in this workshop in the following lines: “The Eastern Sun filled the cosy room built for Behzad with its bright lights. The artist is sitting on a small chair and working bending his head over one of his rare creations. The drawers of the working table are full of necessary things that are needed for the creation of rare paintings. It is natural that the fans of such works of art look for them everywhere in the same manner as they search for the precious works of Italian and Netherlandian artists. It is true that Behzad did not have such huge and wide workshops as the European artists did. His studio is a small one with marble walls decorated by the Eastern calligraphists with the citations from the Holy Quran. There is a cane carpet on the floor. In the corner of the room, there are some pillows on the carpet. They are for the guests and fans of art. Behind the room, there is a garden with a water reservoir with quiet and pure water. Further lie a flowerbed and a small wood. Peaches have already ripened and glittering golden bunches of grapes may be seen at a small distance. Roses around the house are flourishing beautifully. Behind the thousands of blossoming flowers, their leaves could not be seen. In such an environment, Behzad is working attentively and carefully with his tiny brush. This brush has never been used such masterfully and skilfully as Behzad did, neither before him nor after him”. It is actually so in reality. Indeed, not a single artist has ever used this magic brush so masterfully and skilfully. Both in Europe and in Asia the fans of fine arts are astonished and gaze at these miniatures with great admiration”.
Between the 15th and 16th centuries, due to the internal fights and unmerciful winds of political situation and wars for the crown, the Temurid Empire began to be destroyed. At this time, the most beloved masters and close friends of Behzad such as Abdurrahman
Jami (1492) and Alisher Navai (1501) died. In 1506, the last representative of the Temurid dynasty in Khorasan Sultan Husain Mirza also passed away. The internal fights for the crown of Khorasan held between the princes Badiuzzaman and Muzaffar Mirza led the Empire to economic and political crisis. Because of these wars and rivalry between the princes, Muhammad Shaybani easily occupied Herat in 1507.
Under such unpleasant conditions, Kamaliddin Behzad stayed in Herat and continued his creative work. He began to work in the court of Shaybani Khan. Having a noticeable respect to the art and culture of the Temurid princes, Shaybani Khan did not bother the creative activities of Behzad but made orders to provide him with suitable conditions of work. Behzad is supposed to have painted the portrait of Amir Temur approximately at that time.
The reign of the Safavid dynasty in Iran was developing rapidly and, due to the unpleasant political situation in Khorasan, it was not difficult for it to threaten and conquer the state of Khorasan. In 1510, there was a great war between these two dynasties in Marv as a result of which Shaybani Khan was mercilessly killed and his army was defeated. Now Herat was under the control of the Safavids.
In 1512, victorious Shah Ismail Safavi, the ruler of Iran, took with him several famous representatives of art and craftsmanship to Tabriz. The most respectful master of art among them was Kamaliddin Behzad. Because at this very time, Behzad was the most famous and acknowledged master of art in the Eastern countries and the country which had such a genius in art was considered to be the richest and most powerful of all the countries.
