Pink and Blue Flowers

This artist of yore has meticulously observed plants as his subject. He has made an attempt to explain the intimate relationship between study of illustration of botanical subjects. Several leaves from various Islamic books have examples of aesthetically printed flowers, replete with calligraphy and the 'hashiya' (the outer border). Many flowers has a specific religious significance, though the same cannot be deciphered here.

This exotic species as it grows wild, has pink and blue flowers, which seem a little naïve and amateurish as the colouring is a trifle inaccurate, aiming perhaps for effect rather than accuracy. Beautifully drawn and painted, one of the flowers droop with the weight of the yellow fruit it bears; the other stand erect. One semi bloomed flower has fruit emerging with the guest bee already hovering around it. Two buds, each of pink and blue, balance the floral composition. Leaves on the stems turn inwards and fine colouring make them appear quite natural. The lateral leaves connect and form a cluster at the base, but they differ from the leaves on the stem. Presence of a butterfly negates the passivity otherwise present. However, the boldness of the design and the confidence with which it is executed ensures the success of this illustration and there is no doubt that a lot of skill was required to produce a result as good as this.

Above and below the floral picture is calligraphy, which developed into an art form or aesthetic pursuit. It, however, adorns the picture as much as the ornamental hashiya with sprays of golden flowers and leaves.

This description by Renu Rana