Head of a Horse, black pen drawing, ascribed to Sultan Ahmad Jalayir by an inscription Folio 29v (2153 38)

Mehran DHN

The album of Muḥammad Siyāh Qalam or Siāh-Qalam (lit.'the Black Pen'; Persian: محمد سیاه‌ قَلَم; Turkish: Mehmed Siyah Kalem), comprises around 80 extant late 14th and early 15th century folio paintings, ink drawings (qalam-siāhi), and calligraphies, on various material, sometimes silk. The album that contains these paintings, most of which are signed as Mehmet or Muhammad Siyah Qalam, is called the Fatih.[1] These paintings depict cultural and religious ritual norms of the time period, providing insight into the demographics of that era as well as the geography.[1] Measuring up to 335 × 485 cm, these paintings are generally attributed to Iran and bear the strong influence of Chinese art and techniques, as well as symbols of Buddhism and Shamanism, which were both major faiths in Central Asia before the arrival of Islam