mission　paintings　from　us；　ordering　us　to　arrange　a　ship；　an　antelope

or　a　sultan　within　the　borders　of　a　particular　frame；　demanding　a　certain　style

of　bird；　a　certain　type　of　figure；　take　this　particular　scene　from　the　story；　forget

about　such…and…such。　Whatever　it　is　they　demand；　we　do　it。　”Listen；“　Enishte

Effendi　said　to　me；　”here；　draw　a　horse　of　your　own　imagining；　right　here。“　For

three　days；　like　the　great　artists　of　old；　I　sketched　hundreds　of　horses　so　I　might

22

e　to　know　exactly　what　”a　horse　of　my　own　imagining‘　was。　To　accustom

my　hand；　I　drew　a　series　of　horses　on　a　coarse　sheet　of　Samarkand　paper。“

I　took　these　sketches　out　and　showed　them　to　Elegant。　He　looked　at　them

with interest and； leaning close to the paper； began to study the black and

white　horses　in　the　faint　moonlight。　“The　old　masters　of　Shiraz　and　Herat；”　I

said；　“claimed　that　a　miniaturist　would　have　to　sketch　horses　unceasingly　for

fifty years to be able to truly depict the horse that Allah envisioned and

desired。　They　claimed　that　the　best　picture　of　a　horse　should　be　drawn　in　the

dark； since a true miniaturist would go blind working over that fifty…year

period；　but　in　the　process；　his　hand　would　memorize　the　horse。”

The　innocent　expression　on　his　face；　the　one　I’d　also　seen　long　ago；　when

we were children； told me that he’d b