The centuries-old art of Persian miniature painting, specifically the style of 15th-century master Kamaleddin Behzad, has received a notable boost amidst ongoing cultural restrictions in Afghanistan with its inscription onto UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December. this recognition honors a tradition that flourished in the historic city of Herat-once a vital center of artistic exchange-and continues despite decades of conflict and recent limitations imposed on artistic expression [[1]]. The safeguarding of this delicate art form offers a vital link to Afghanistan’s rich past and provides a beacon of cultural resilience for its artists.
The intricate miniatures of Afghan artist Kamaleddin Behzad, preserved in the world’s most prestigious libraries, have been added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, bringing a sense of joy, freedom, and hope to his hometown of Herat.
Muhammad Younis Qane, 45, sits cross-legged on a red rug, surrounded by delicate brushes and palettes of color, meticulously painting the coat of a horse and strands of a pearl necklace. He’s become one of the inheritors of this ancient art form in Afghanistan, captivated by the work of Behzad (1450-1535) since he was fourteen years old. “When I paint, I travel five hundred years back in time, to the streets of Herat in that era,” he says with a smile, recalling a time when Timurid sultans supported artists like Behzad and the poet and Sufi mystic عبدالرحمن الجامي.
Michael Barry, a global expert on miniatures, explains that Herat, in western Afghanistan, was “the Florence of the Islamic world and a global capital for painting, music, and philosophy between 1404 and 1507,” situated at the crossroads of trade routes between China, Europe, and the Middle East. Behzad, a contemporary of Italian masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli, breathed new life into the art form before working in Tabriz, Iran.
“Before him, faces were rigid, and the paintings lacked spirit,” says Ahmad Jawid Zargam, the former director of the Arts and Culture Department in Herat. “Behzad introduced scenes from the everyday lives of ordinary people – we see girls and boys studying, and construction workers – not just kings or religious figures.”
Five centuries have passed since Behzad’s death. Afghanistan has endured decades of war, witnessing the deaths of millions and experiencing rule under various empires, including the British, Soviets, and Americans. Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban authorities have banned women from studying after the age of twelve. Music and performing arts are also prohibited in public spaces.
As a result, hundreds of artists have chosen to live in exile. Despite this, the miniature tradition in the style of Behzad remains a vibrant art form – “practiced, recognized, and transmitted,” as UNESCO affirmed in December when it inscribed this “living cultural expression” on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The recognition underscores the enduring power of art even amidst political and social upheaval, and highlights the importance of preserving cultural traditions in the face of adversity.
