A group of young female artists in Herat are striving to preserve and expand the historical arts of miniature painting and illumination from the Herat school.
According to these girls, these delicate art forms are part of the country’s history and cultural identity, and they are committed to keeping the Herat artistic tradition alive.
After being deprived of formal education, these girls have turned to learning miniature and illumination arts. These two art forms are considered the foundational pillars of the Herat school of art.
Arezo Mohandeszada, an art student, told TOLOnews in Herat: “We want to expand and develop the ancient Herat-style arts of illumination and miniature with the cooperation of our teachers, fellow students, and colleagues.”
These arts require precision and delicacy. These young female artists work patiently for days and even weeks on each piece of their artistic creations.
Farsila Noorzai, another art student in Herat, said: “This art requires attention to fine detail and takes a lot of time, but when I work on miniature and illumination art, I never feel tired.”
Mona Ziaee is another girl determined to keep these two arts alive. She told TOLOnews: “Miniature is an art of delicacy and has a history of several hundred years. That’s why I wanted to learn it.”
Local officials in Herat pledge that they support artists to help the growth of the country’s traditional arts.
Hamidullah Ghiyasi, head of culture and arts at the Herat Department of Information and Culture, said: “The Department of Information and Culture of Herat Province, in cooperation with artists—especially in the field of illumination and miniature—and in partnership with cultural institutions and art galleries, has managed to establish strong connections.”
Miniature and illumination are considered vital parts of the Herat school of art. This school, founded by Master Kamal-ud-Din Behzad during the Timurid era, has a history of more than 600 years.