THE SCHOOL OF BUKARA ASAR GALLERY OF ART   Two years after the death of Shah Sultan Hossein in 885 A.H., the city of Herat, in eastern Persia, was invaded by Uzbek tribes. At the time, Ostad Behzad was living in Herat, a city with a rich and ancient artistic tradition (even today recognized as a World Art City by UNESCO).   The Uzbek occupation was unstable from the beginning, and in 888 A.H. the occupying forces were turned back by Shah Esmail Safavi. In the three year interim, many artists had emigrated to Tabriz and especially Bukara, in the northeast. However, a few notable figures remained, Mohammad Moemen among them. A series of calligraphy works, featuring illustrations by Moemen and dating to the 11th century, remain preserved.   In 913 A.H., a second Uzbek invasion caused widespread havoc and destruction throughout Herat, precipitating the flight of the city's aristocracy. Many artists emigrated en masse to Bukara. Among the latest expatriates was Mahmoud Mozaheb, a founder of the Bukara School. Centuries later in 1309 A.H., Mozaheb's remaining Herat works were displayed in a London exhibition. Of his notable work in Bukara, a 915 A.H. calligraphy piece is on display at the National Library of Paris. Another artist of the Bukara School was Abdollah Naghash, some of whose paintings are saved in a calligraphed copy of Jami Collected Books. Naghash, a student of Mozaheb, was renowned for his skill in creating lifelike human features in his paintings.   One of the specifications of the School of Bukara, influenced by the paintings of Behzad, is the overall stability and brightness of the color contrasts. By comparing the calligraphy of Boustan Sadi, completed in Bukara circa 933 A.H. and currently stored in the National Library of Paris, with Sadi's earlier work which was illustrated by Behzad himself (currently on display at the Library of Egypt), the overlap between Behzad's style and the Bukara School becomes self-evident.   The Bukara School did not last long, and by the end of the 10th century had faded into obscurity. However, the tradition begun in Bukara left a lasting impression on the greater history of Persian art, influencing the later schools of the Safavian Era. Persian Paintings Digitograph Galleries   Quality custom editions of Persian art on canvas, from traditional art to contemporary Iranian artists, Original Paintings, will be available for purchase through our representatives or galleries worldwide. Send Page To a Friend Gift Reminder   For more information Please contact our representative at Asar Gallery of art.