Depictions of the Ark of Noah and the Giant Uj In Kulliyat-i Tarikhi of Hafız-i Abru (Style and Iconography)

Abstract

In Islamic Art, the tradition of depicting texts of history took shape in Tabriz from the very beginning of the 14th century. In the 15th century, Herat School of illustration revived this tradition and continued the production of works of illustrated manuscripts. Having been written by the order of Shahrukh, included the general history of the world and prophets, Kulliyat-Tarikhi was compiled in Herat, one of the most productive centers of art in the Timurid period. The work of art is preserved in the library of Topkapı Palace Library (Baghdad 282). In this article, firstly codicological features of the book were defined and detailed information was given as to the content of the illustration program of the book. The depiction of Noah’s Ark and the ‘Uj’ in the book was compared with other illustrated manuscripts in the 14th-15th century. From this respect, this study is crucial for us in terms of seeing the formation of the illustration program of historical texts including Noah’s Ark and their influence on the development process in the 16th century. Gathering and studying images about Noah’s Flood in the works of Islamic art of painting including the history of prophets in the 14th and 15th centuries will contribute to the literature of History of Art, as it is an up-to-date study.