Ali Quli ibn Muhammad – European landscape Hermitage ~ Part 01

This is a miniature painting by Ali Quli ibn Muhammad, titled European Landscape. It depicts a bustling scene centered around a watermill and a bridge spanning a flowing river.

What I see:

The painting is framed by a decorative border. The main scene showcases a multi-story building, possibly a mill or a large house, with a pitched roof and numerous windows made of stone. Adjacent to it is a smaller, simpler building. A wooden bridge crosses the river, with figures and animals traversing it. A horse-drawn cart is visible on the bridge, and another horse is being ridden across. The river itself is rendered with dynamic, choppy blue water, with several ducks swimming in it. There are large rocks in the foreground and along the riverbanks.

The landscape is dotted with trees, some with distinct blue foliage, and rolling hills in the background. Several smaller houses with pitched roofs are nestled into the landscape. The sky above is depicted with swirling white clouds against a pale blue background, suggesting a somewhat overcast or windy day.

In the foreground to the right, a dark-colored animal, possibly a wolf or a large dog, is depicted looking towards the viewer, with its head low and partially obscured by greenery. There are some small red flowers growing near the animal. On the left side of the river, there are more trees and rocky outcrops.

Subtexts:

The title, European Landscape, strongly suggests that this painting is an interpretation or adaptation of a European style or scene. This is a significant subtext because it points to the exchange of artistic ideas and motifs between different cultures during the period in which it was created. The artist, likely working within a Persian or Indo-Persian artistic tradition, has rendered a scene that deviates from typical Islamic landscape painting conventions.

The presence of the watermill and the bridge indicate a focus on human activity and infrastructure, suggesting an interest in the development and capabilities of the European setting. The depiction of animals, particularly the wolf-like creature in the foreground, could carry symbolic meanings. In some traditions, wolves can represent wildness, danger, or even cunning. Its positioning and gaze might invite the viewer to consider the relationship between civilization (represented by the mill and human activity) and the untamed natural world.

The overall composition, with its emphasis on architectural elements and a receding perspective, also hints at European influence. The use of color, particularly the blue foliage and the rendering of the water, could be distinctive stylistic choices. The detail and miniaturization are characteristic of Persian painting, but the subject matter and some compositional elements appear to be consciously borrowed or adapted from European examples, perhaps engravings or paintings that circulated at the time. The painting thus becomes a fascinating artifact of cultural interaction and artistic interpretation.