In the history of Persian painting, one name stands above all others: Kemaleddin Behzad. Working in Herat at the close of the fifteenth century and later in Safavid Tabriz, he brought a new life and subtlety to the art of the book, and his name became synonymous with mastery.
Life and Training
Kamal al-Din Behzad was born around the middle of the fifteenth century, probably in Herat, then capital of the Timurid ruler Sultan Husayn Bayqara. Orphaned young, he is traditionally said to have been raised and trained by the painter Mirak Naqqash, head of the royal library.
Herat was a brilliant cultural centre. Behzad enjoyed the patronage of the sultan and of the poet and statesman Mir Ali Shir Nava’i. After the fall of the Timurids, he entered the service of the Safavids, and in 1522 Shah Ismail I appointed him director of the royal library in Tabriz. He died around 1535–36.
Key Works
Few attributions are entirely secure, but scholars agree on several key works:
- the Bustan of Sa’di of 1488, in the National Library of Egypt in Cairo, with paintings including the famous scene of Yusuf fleeing Zulaykha;
- illustrations to a Khamsa of Nizami made in Herat, now in the British Library;
- a copy of the Zafarnama, the history of Timur, whose paintings are traditionally attributed to him.
Style and Innovations
Behzad worked within the conventions of Persian painting but transformed them from within. His achievements include:
- figures with individual gestures and expressions, often engaged in everyday activity;
- complex architectural settings that lead the eye through space;
- asymmetrical compositions that create movement and narrative tension;
- subtle, harmonious colour, balanced across the whole page.
Scenes of builders, shepherds or dervishes show an interest in ordinary life rarely seen before him. At the same time, his paintings remain deeply poetic, matching the mystical and moral meanings of the texts they illustrate.
Herat and the Art of the Book
Behzad worked within the kitabkhana, the royal library-workshop where calligraphers, illuminators, painters, gilders and binders collaborated on a single manuscript. A painting was only one element in a carefully planned whole, integrated with text panels, margins and illuminated headings.
Herat under Sultan Husayn Bayqara drew poets, scholars and artists of exceptional talent, among them the poet Jami. This environment of refined literary culture helps explain the sophistication of Behzad’s images, which respond closely to the meanings of the poems they accompany.
Legacy
Behzad’s influence passed directly into Safavid painting through the Tabriz workshop, where artists such as Sultan Muhammad worked under his direction. Sixteenth-century writers praised him as the unrivalled master, and his name was often used in inscriptions to honour a painting’s quality. His reputation also reached Mughal India and the Ottoman court, where Persian painting was collected and admired. Explore related material in our Persian art collection and A History of Miniature Painting.
How to See and Collect Works of the School
Behzad’s secure works are in major libraries and museums. Many later paintings bear his name as a tribute rather than a true signature, so attributions require great caution. Collectors may look for Herat and early Safavid-style works, album leaves and later copies, judged on quality, condition and scholarly opinion. See current offerings in our auctions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Kemaleddin Behzad?
Kamal al-Din Behzad (c. 1450s–1535/36) was the leading painter of late Timurid Herat and later directed the royal library of the Safavids in Tabriz.
What is his most famous manuscript?
The Bustan of Sa’di dated 1488, now in the National Library of Egypt in Cairo, contains paintings widely regarded as signed works by Behzad.
Why is Behzad so important?
He introduced livelier, more individual figures and inventive compositions, and his name became a byword for excellence in the Persian and Ottoman worlds.
