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horses　wasn’t　a　discovery　of　European　masters。　The　original　idea　belonged　to

the great master Jemalettin of Kazvin。 After Tall Hasan； the Khan of the

Whitesheep；　conquered　Kazvin；　the　old　master　Jemalettin　was　not　content　to

simply　join　the　book…arts　workshop　of　the　victorious　khan；　instead　he　headed

out　on　campaign　with　him；　claiming　that　he　wanted　to　embellish　the　khan’s

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History　with　scenes　of　war　he’d　witnessed　himself。　So　this　great　master；　who

for sixty…two years had made pictures of horses； cavalry charges and battles

without　ever　having　seen　a　battle；　went　to　war　for　the　first　time。　But　before　he

could　even　see　the　thunderous　and　violent　clash　of　sweating　horses；　he　lost　his

hands　and　his　eyesight　to　enemy　cannon…fire。　The　old　master；　like　all　genuine

virtuosos； had in any case been awaiting blindness as though it were Allah’s

blessing；　and　neither　did　he　treat　the　loss　of　his　hands　as　a　great　deficiency。　He

maintained　that　the　memory　of　a　miniaturist　was　located　not　in　the　hand；　as

some　insisted；　but　in　the　intellect　and　the　heart；　and　furthermore；　now　that　he

was　blind；　he　declared　that　he　could　see　the　true　pictures；　scenery　and　essential

and flawless horses that Allah manded be seen。 To share these wonders

with lovers of art； he hired a tall； pale…skinned； pink…plected； green…eyed