rtue：

To avoid disappointment in art； one mustn’t treat it as a career。 Despite

whatever　great　artistic　sense　and　talent　a　man　might　possess；　he　ought　to　seek

money　and　power　elsewhere　to　avoid　forsaking　his　art　when　he　fails　to　receive

proper　pensation　for　his　gifts　and　efforts。

Black　recounted　how　he’d　met　one　by　one　all　of　the　master　illustrators　and

calligraphers of Tabriz by making books for pashas； wealthy Istanbulites and

patrons in the provinces。 All these artists； I learned； were impoverished and

overe　by　the　futility　of　their　lot。　Not　only　in　Tabriz；　but　in　Mashhad　and

Aleppo； many miniaturists had abandoned working on books and begun

making odd single…leaf pictures—curiosities that would please European

travelers—even obscene drawings。 Rumor has it that the illuminated

manuscript　Shah　Abbas　presented　to　Our　Sultan　during　the　Tabriz　peace　treaty

has already been taken apart so its pages could be used for another book。

Supposedly；　the　Emperor　of　Hindustan；　Akbar；　was　throwing　so　much　money

around for a large new book that the most gifted illustrators of Tabriz and

Kazvin　quit　what　they　were　doing　and　flocked　to　his　palace。

As　he　told　me　all　of　this；　he　pleasantly　interjected　other　stories　as　well；　for

example；　he　described　with　a　smile　the　entertaining　story　of　a　Mehdi　forgery

or the frenzy that erupted among the Uzbeks when the idiot prince sent to

them　by　the　Safavids　as　a　hostage　to　peace　fell　feverishly　ill　and　dropped　dead

within　three　days。　Even　so；　I　could　tell　from　the　shadow　that　fell　across　his　face