Miniature lacquer bindings of 16th-century Persian literary manuscripts (TSMK)

This study focuses on a selection of 16th-century Persian manuscripts housed in the Topkapı Palace Museum Library, specifically those distinguished by the application of lacquer binding techniques. Within this scope, the manuscripts catalogued under inventory numbers A. 3559, B. 146, H. 684, H. 728, H. 738, H. 749, H. 751, H. 985, H. 986, H. 1475, H. 1492, H. 1493, as well as R. 824, R. 884, R. 900, R. 910, R. 927, R. 957, R. 1029, and R. 1037 have been examined. The right and left covers, along with the flap (miklep) surfaces of these bindings -featuring vividly rendered scenes on black backgrounds- have been analyzed with regard to compositional structure, spatial arrangement of figures, color palette, and narrative construction. Through this visual and structural analysis, the aesthetic conventions of 16th-century bookbinding and manuscript decoration are brought to light. The principal aim of this research is to explore the design principles underlying the illustrated lacquer bindings of these thematically diverse, and in most cases anonymous, manuscripts.