A Sketch of Sketching
A Seated Artist with His Drawing Board. Iran, Isfahan, ca. 1600. Ink and opaque watercolor on paper.
35.7 x 23.3 cm. AKM192. Courtesy of the Aga Khan Museum.
What a puzzle of an artwork – an artist sketching an artist sketching! Or is it the visual meditation of an artist on himself and his art? Today, we no longer know what led to the creation of this beautiful, impressionistic sketch or indeed, who the master was that sketched his peer so keenly immersed in his work, kneeling in front of us. And yet, across more than four hundred years, this beautiful drawing immediately intrigues us and draws us into a scene that is full of atmosphere and wonder, even though only sketched with a few, masterful lines and a hint of shading here and there. Our eyes most immediately come to rest on the solitary artist - his voluminous turban, his earring, and his buttoned tunic with the carefully gathered sash so exquisitely enhanced by gilded detail. He seems oblivious to his surroundings - fully focused on his large, and as yet empty, drawing board, propped up against his raised right knee. But what is he intending to draw? And how? His right hand seems poised, but there is no pen – could he possibly be intending to ‘draw’ with his finger or even a fingernail?!
Meanwhile, the beauty of nature is unfolding all around him, and even though it is only hinted at, it offers up much more to contemplate: the flowers resembling irises and hollyhocks on the ground nearby; the gnarled, rugged old tree with its two main branches curiously intertwining before sprouting into lush foliage but also - in some places – ending in dry, dead twigs, Two butterflies and two birds are busy nearby, and – above - a hint of sky, evoked by two flame-like cloud formations. Whatever the original meaning of this artwork, its beauty and mystery still appeal today, reminding us that even a deceivingly simple sketch may open up dimensions of imagination and contemplation that reach well beyond what can be seen with the physical eye.
Written by Special Guest Contributor
Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, Director and CEO at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto. In each issue, we feature a special treasure from the Aga Khan Museum, one that tells a story, captures a moment and inspires conversation.
