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“How had the shah discovered the identity of the miniaturist who
portrayed his daughter？”
“From the ears！”
275
“Whose ears？ The ears of the daughter or her picture？”
“Actually； neither。 Following his intuition； he first laid out all the books；
pages and illustrations that his own miniaturists had made and inspected all
the ears therein。 He saw what he’d known for years in a new light： Regardless
of the level of talent； each of the miniaturists made ears in his own style。 It
didn’t matter if the face they depicted was the face of a sultan； a child； a
warrior； or even； God forbid； the partially veiled face of Our Exalted Prophet；
or even； God forbid again； the face of the Devil。 Each miniaturist； in each case；
always drew the ears the same way； as if this were a secret signature。”
“Why？”
“When the masters illustrated a face； they focused on approaching its
exalted beauty； on the dictates of the old models of form； on the expression； or
on whether it should resemble somebody real。 But when it came time to make
the ears； they neither stole from others； imitated a model nor studied a real
ear。 For the ears； they didn’t think； didn’t aspire to anything； didn’t even stop
to consider what they were doing。 They simply guided their brushes from
memory。”
“But didn’t the great masters also create their masterpieces from memory
without ever even looking at real horses； trees or people？” said Black。
“True；” I said； “but those are memories acquired after years of thought；
contemplation and reflection。 Having seen plenty of horses； illustrated and
actual； over their lifetimes； they know that the last flesh…and…blood horse they
see before them will only mar the perfect horse they hold in their thoughts。
The horse that a master miniaturist has drawn tens of thousands of times
eventually es close to God’s vision of a horse； and the artist knows this
through experience and deep in his soul。 The horse that his hand draws quickly
from memory is rendered with talent； great effort； and insight； and it is a
horse that approaches Allah’s horse。 However； the ear that is drawn before the
hand has accumulated any knowledge； before the artist has weighed and
considered what it is doing； or before paying attention to the ears of the
shah’s daughter； will always be a flaw。 Precisely because it is a flaw； or
imperfection； it will vary from miniaturist to miniaturist。 That is； it amounts
to a signature。”
There was a motion。 The mander’s men were bringing into the old
workshop the pages they’d collected from the homes of the miniaturists and
the calligraphers。
276
“Besides； ears are actually a human flaw；” I said； hoping Black would smile。
“They’re at once distinct and mon to everyone： a perfect manifestation of
ugliness。”
“What happened to the miniaturist who’d been caught by the authorities
through his style of painting ears？”
I refrained from saying； “He was blinded；” to keep Black from being
even more downcast。 Instead； I responded； “He married the shah’s daughter；
and this method； which has been used to identify miniaturists ever since； is
known by many khans； shahs and sultans who fund book…arts workshops as
the ”courtesan method。“ Furthermore； it is kept secret so that if one of their
miniaturists makes a forbidden figure or a small design that conceals some
mischief and later denies having done so； they can quickly determine who was
responsible—genuine artists have an instinctive desire to draw what’s
forbidden！ Sometimes their hands make mischief on their own。 Uncovering
these transgressions involves finding trivial； quickly drawn and repetitive
details removed from the heart of the painting； such as ears； hands； grass；
leaves； or even horses’ manes； legs or hooves。 But beware； the method doesn’t
work if the illustrator himself is mindful that this detail has bee his own
secret signature。 Mustaches won’t work； for instance； because many artists are
aware how freely they’re drawn as a sort of signature anyway。 But eyebrows are
a possibility： No one pays much attention to them。 e now； let’s see which
young masters have brought their brushes and reed pens to bear upon late
Enishte’s illustrations。”
Thus we brought together the pages of two illustrated manuscripts； one
that was being pleted secretly and the other openly； two books with
different stories and subjects； illustrated in two distinct styles； that is； deceased
Enishte’s book and the Book of Festivities recounting our prince’s circumcision
ceremony； whose creation was under my control。 Black and I looked intently
wherever I moved my magnifying lens：
1。 In the pages of the Book of Festivities； we first studied the open mouth of
the fox whose pelt a master of the furrier’s guild； in a red caftan and purple
sash； held on his lap as the guild passed before Our Sultan； watching the
parade from a loge made specifically for the event。 Unmistakably； Olive had
made both the fox’s teeth； which were individually distinguishable； and the
teeth in Enishte’s illustration of Satan； an ominous creature； half…demon and
half…giant； that appeared to have e from Samarkand。
277
2。 On a particularly joyous day of the festivities； below Our Sultan’s loge
overlooking the Hippodrome； a division of impoverished frontier ghazis
appeared in tattered clothes。 One of their lot made a plea： “My Exalted Sultan；
we； your heroic soldiers； fell captive as we fought the infidel in the name of our
religion and were only able to gain our freedom by leaving a number of our
brethren behind as hostages； that is； we were set free in order to amass
ransom。 However； when we arrived back in Istanbul； we found everything so
expensive that we’ve been unable to collect the money to save our brethren
who languish as prisoners of the kaffirs。 We’re at the mercy of your aid。 Please
grant us gold or slaves that we might take back to exchange for their freedom。”
Stork clearly made the nails of the lazy dog off to the side—glaring with one
open eye at Our Sultan； at our poor； destitute ghazis and at the Persian and
Tatar ambassadors in the Hippodrome—as well as the nails of the dog
occupying a corner of the scene depicting the adventures of the Gold Coin in
Enishte’s book。
3。 Among the jugglers spinning eggs on pieces of wood and turning
somersaults before Our Sultan was a bald man with bare calves wearing a
purple vest； who played a tambourine as he sat off to one side on a red carpet；
this man held the instrument exactly the same way the woman held a large
brass serving tray in the illustration of Red in Enishte’s book： doubtless the
work of Olive。
4。 As the cooks’ guild pushed past Our Sultan； they were cooking stuffed
cabbage with meat and onions in a cauldron resting on a stove in their cart。
The master cooks acpanying the cart stood on pink earth resting their
stew pots on blue stones； these stones were rendered by the same artist who
made the red ones on dark…blue earth above which floated the half…ghostly
creature in the illustration that Enishte called Death： the unmistakable work of
Butterfly。
5。 Mounted Tatar messengers brought word that the Persian Shah’s armies
had begun to mobilize for another campaign against the Ottomans； who
thereupon razed to the ground the exquisite observation kiosk of the Persian
ambassador who’d repeatedly affirmed to Our Sultan； Refuge of the World； in
a cascade of pleasantries； that the Shah was His friend and harbored nothing
but brotherly affection for Him。 During this episode of wrath and destruction；
water bearers ran out to settle the dust raised in the Hippodrome