Process, step by step
- Size and burnish the paper.
- Rule the frame and lay out the ornamental scheme.
- Apply gold, then burnish it.
- Paint pigment grounds around the gold.
- Draw the fine outlining last.
Variations
Timurid Herat schemes are denser and more regular than later Qajar work.
Conservation
Paper and gold both suffer from light and humidity swings; display in low, filtered light only.
Used in these crafts
Persian miniature
The Iranian tradition of small-scale painting made for manuscripts and albums, built from fine line, flat luminous colour and layered spatial convention rather than single-point perspective.
Nasta'liq calligraphy
A hanging cursive script developed in Iran for Persian poetry, distinguished by its sloping baseline, sharply contrasted thick and thin strokes, and sweeping final letters.