Introducing the “Historical Figures in Oriental Miniature” Album

Dr. Firdavs Abdukhalikov, the Chairman of the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan, unveiled the lavishly illustrated book album “Historical Figures in Oriental Miniature” at the 7th Congress of the Society. This book is the result of his years of research.
The book is dedicated to masterpieces of miniature painting, images, and interpretations of historical figures portrayed in miniatures. It features more than 300 miniatures crafted in the 13th-18th centuries, with images of over 80 rulers, princes, and princesses, as well as more than 20 poets, scholars, thinkers, and artists from multiple dynasties.
The author was able to acquire pictures of many historical figures from different cultural centers, such as the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the British Library, the Edinburgh University Library, the collection of Prince Aga Khan, the National Library of France, the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Topkapı Palace, National Library and Archives of Egypt and others.
What makes this extensive study special is that, for the first time, the book not only includes miniatures, but also highlighted fragments – quotes with portrait images of notable historical figures. These include Amir Timur, Mirzo Ulugbek, Abu Ali ibn Sino, Jalaliddin Manguberdi, Alexander the Great, Sultan Sanjar, Hurmuzd, Hussein Baykara, and Alisher Navoi.
The publication was made possible thanks to the support of the oilfield services group ERIELL, a regular co-organizer and sponsor of World Society projects.