A Comparative analysis of the khosrow and shirin miniatures in the 15th century Timur and Turkmen period nizami khamsas (Tsmk)

ABSTRACT This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the Khusraw and Shirin miniatures found in the 15th-century Timurid and Turkmen period Hamse-i Nizamî manuscripts in the Topkapi Palace Museum (TSMK). Our research includes twenty-eight manuscripts. The works are analyzed in detail, considering their bindings, seals, title pages, and initial illuminations. The task of distinguishing between Timurid and Turkmen miniatures within the same century and geographical region is challenging, as they are complex and interwoven. These illustrated manuscripts, dated from the beginning to the end of the 15th century, have been analyzed in terms of their stylistic features and technical aspects, and iconological results have been drawn accordingly. Upon examining the periods, it was noted that the miniatures depicting the Khusraw and Shirin sections generally focus on the same scenes, and specific major events were chosen as the subject matter. The fact that the selected scenes remained unchanged for a century and that the works exhibit similar templates is striking. Miniature design and compositional arrangement in manuscripts created under the patronage of the period's art patrons were highly developed. At the end of the study, a comparison was made between the miniatures created in the same geographical area during the same period, emphasizing their similarities and differences. Keywords: Timurid, Turkmen, Miniature, Manuscripts, TSMK.