Study of the Evolution of Buraq Image in Persian Painting(From the 7th to the 13th century AH)

Buraq- the Prophet's horse in Ascension night (Miraj)- is a rare example of mythological animals which served as the mediator for the realization of human supernatural experiences. In the oldest existing Islamic accounts on the Ascension, this steed has been mentioned; although there are numerous differences in the details and descriptions of the subject matter. Most narrations depict a white animal the size of which is between a mule and donkey. It has red eyes and there are two wings located around its thighs. This steed rides the scope of its vision in each of its steps. There are other narratives that portray Buraq as the steed for other prophets as well, especially Abraham. This paper aims to study the evolution of the Buraq image from the 7th to the 13th centuries AH, and answer this question that what visual developments the Buraq’s image has undergone since the Ilkhanids rule to the Qajars? In this research, 10 books of ‘Mirajnameh’ dating back to 7th-13th century AH were studied. According to the selected Buraq images, the process of formation of Buraq’s body parts might be classified into three general groups based on visual characteristics: the wingless, the winged and the one possessing the tail of the Sassanid Simurgh peacock. In the abovementioned historical periods, Buraq has been depicted as a creature possessing a human being’s upper body the lower body similar to a horse, with a feminine face, long and crowned hair, having elegant, long, slender and strong, moving legs, and the face and limbs shown in three quarter views. The differences include the appearance of the tail: the Ilkhanid’s Buraq has a thick and short tail; the Timurid’s Buraq has a longer yet thinner one while the Safavid’s Buraq and in particular the Qajar’s, has tail similar to that of a peacock. In paintings of the Timurid period, Buraq has a sparkling, charming, round and angel-like face, hair hanging down from head sides with the end of the hair round in shape and Buddhist style, stretched earlobes. It is portrayed wearing Mongolian golden hat, the shape and color of which differs in some paintings. In Miraj miniature created by Sultan Muhammad, ‘the Prophet riding Buraq’, all the principles of illustrating the horse and riding has been observed beautifully, as if Buraq is floating weightlessly in space. Buraq wears Safavid hat on his head and his body is depicted very strong and powerful. Its body color is transparent with legs slightly darker while the under the throat shines. Till this point of time and in these versions of narrations, the Buraq is wingless. Buraq appears with two wings at the beginning, but in Timurid and Safavid versions, it is portrayed wingless while its Qajar version is winged. The paper comes to this conclusion that the image of Buraq in this period has been relatively influenced by Quranic verses and narrations. Often Buraq is illustrated in three quarter view with its ornaments corresponding to the prevailing characteristics of its respective historical era. The Mongolian face is the characteristic of the Illkhanid period while the Buraq of Tabriz II School of painting has a fit body as compared to the Buraq of the Herat school miniatures. It is elegant and beautiful, with more decorations. This Buraq is more vibrant in color and dynamic in movements and thus suggests the state of happiness, quick movements and ascension more to appear more imaginary and abstract. If Buraq is illustrated beautifully in some miniatures of Herat school paintings and glorious in others, the Buraq illustrators of Tabriz II School - particularly Sultan Mohammad - have combined beauty and splendor into one form. Due to the illustrator’s personal impressions, folk beliefs and oral culture in the narration of the story of ascension on one hand, and impact of the western art style on the painters on the other, we are witness to changes in Buraq’s drawing during the Qajar era. In this period, the Buraq is fat, wearing a long Qajar crown on head. Interestingly, peacock had turned to a symbol of the Shi'a tradition and was considered a bird from paradise, so the use of peacock’s tail became a main characteristic of Buraq and was exaggerated in the pictures. Putting feminine head on a thick neck for Buraq decreased the elegancy of the paintings during the Qajar reign, thus indicating the reducting of the artists’ attention to religious texts. The research has been conducted through descriptive-analytical method and the desk study of library sources.