Historical Persian Recipes for Paper Dyes
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Mandana Barkeshli
Mandana Barkeshli holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Conservation and Restoration of Art Objects from the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology, New Delhi, India. Currently she holds a position as Associate Professor in the Applied Arts and Design Department at the Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has worked as lecturer and later as assistant professor at the Art University, Department of Textile and Conservation of Art, Tehran and Isfahan, Iran. Since 2014 she is chairing The Islamic Manuscript Association (TIMA), where she is also founding member and committee board member.
Abstract
During the Taimurid (1370–1507 A.D.) and Safawid 1501–1736 A.D.) to Qajar periods (1785–1925 A.D.), Iranian masters introduced a number of paper dyes in order to prepare a suitable support for their calligraphies and paintings. This paper will discuss the different types of dyes and application techniques as described in Persian historical sources. Eighteen manuscripts from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century were selected and studied in detail; recipes were translated and categorized according to colour, materials and techniques in order to be able to draw comparisons. Studying these historical references not only adds a new dimension to the identification of materials used in manuscripts and miniature paintings of the period under study, but also can help to preserve the colours by providing a better understanding of their composition, manufacture and use.
Zusammenfassung
Historische Quellenschriften zu Persischen Papierfarbstoffen
In den Perioden des Taimurid, Safawid und Qajar (ca. 14. bis 19. Jhdt.) wurde im Iran ein breites Spektrum an Papierfarbstoffen hergestellt, um Trägermaterialien für Kalligraphie und Miniaturmalerei entsprechend zu präparieren. Dieser Beitrag stellt die unterschiedlichen Farbstoffe und ihre Anwendung vor, wie sie in persischen Quellen beschrieben werden. Dazu wurden 18 Manuskripte aus dem 13. bis 19. Jhdt. ausgewählt und eingehend untersucht. Rezepturen wurden übersetzt und nach Farbe, Ausgangsmaterialien und Herstellungstechnik kategorisiert, um sie vergleichen zu können. Die Kenntnis dieser historischen Quellen erleichtert nicht nur die Identifikation von Materialien, die für Kalligraphien und Miniaturmalereien in dem untersuchten Zeitraum zum Einsatz gekommen waren, sondern kann durch das bessere Verständnis von Zusammensetzung, Herstellung und Verwendung zur Langzeiterhaltung dieser historischen Farbmaterialien beitragen.
Résumé
Recettes historiques perses de colorants pour le papier
Pendant les périodes Timouride, Safavide et Kadjar (du 14 èmeau 19 èmesiècle environ), les maîtres iraniens ont introduit un certain nombre de colorants pour le papier afin de préparer un support approprié pour leurs calligraphies et peintures. Cet article traite des différents types de colorants et de leurs techniques d’application comme décrits dans les documents historiques perses. Dix-huit manuscrits du 13 èmeau 19èmesiècle ont été sélectionnés et étudiés en détail; les recettes ont été traduites et classées en fonction de la couleur, des matériaux et des techniques utilisées afin de pouvoir établir des comparaisons. L’étude de ces références historiques apporte non seulement une nouvelle dimension à l’identification des matériaux utilisés dans les manuscrits et peintures miniatures de la période étudiée, mais peut également aider à préserver les couleurs en fournissant une meilleure compréhension de leur composition, fabrication et utilisation.
About the author
Mandana Barkeshli holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Conservation and Restoration of Art Objects from the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology, New Delhi, India. Currently she holds a position as Associate Professor in the Applied Arts and Design Department at the Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has worked as lecturer and later as assistant professor at the Art University, Department of Textile and Conservation of Art, Tehran and Isfahan, Iran. Since 2014 she is chairing The Islamic Manuscript Association (TIMA), where she is also founding member and committee board member.
Acknowledgement
The author would like to express her gratitude to Dr. O. P. Agrawal for his guidance during her PhD project titled “Scientific Comparative Study of Materials used in Persian and Indian Miniature Painting”. The author would also like to thank The Islamic Manuscript Association (TIMA) and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) for their support by providing grants to complete part of this research. More over the author would like to thank Associate Prof. Dr. Robyn Sloggett, Director of the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (CCMC) for facilitating to access the Persian collection of the Melbourne University Library during her MacGeorge fellowship grant visit to study their materials and techniques including dyed paper of Persian manuscript of Gulestan Sa’adi (MUL 59).
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©2016 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Near-Infrared Laser Scanning (NILS) to Differentiate Historical Inks, Deployed on a Stained and Faded Ninth-Century Fragment of Boethius Reused as Binding Material: Proving a Concept
- Fungicidal Effects of Plant Smoldering Fumes on Archival Paper-based Documents
- The Influence of Temperature on the Application of Cyclododecane in Paper Conservation
- Historical Persian Recipes for Paper Dyes
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Near-Infrared Laser Scanning (NILS) to Differentiate Historical Inks, Deployed on a Stained and Faded Ninth-Century Fragment of Boethius Reused as Binding Material: Proving a Concept
- Fungicidal Effects of Plant Smoldering Fumes on Archival Paper-based Documents
- The Influence of Temperature on the Application of Cyclododecane in Paper Conservation
- Historical Persian Recipes for Paper Dyes
