Siyah Qalem - The Black Pen

Siyah Qalem - The Black Pen

This gem of Mongolian culture is housed in Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace: the impressive paintings of the master Muhammad Siyah Qalam, translated as The Black Pen are found in several albums. The identity of the painter, considered to be “one of the greatest masters of Mongolian painting”, remains anonymous to this day. His paintings have been signed often, having said this, these signatures are extremely mysterious and are probably not all originals, but were applied later instead. Thus, he remains an unknown, enigmatic 15th century Mongolian master. The compendium at hand unites the master’s works of art with works by other painters from his circle, which were strictly oriented in their style.

Mongolian Motifs on Silk and Parchment

The precious paintings by the master Muhammad Siyah Qalam (or Üstad Mehmed Siyah Qalem) are presented in the 74-leaf compendium as works of art using the most varied techniques and materials, including fabrics like silk. The paintings are exquisitely designed with luminous colors for the most part, so do not be deceived by the name of the master – The Black Quill. The Chinese influence in style is clearly discernable at first glimpse, but the grandiose pictures have much more going on in them!

The Life of the Mongolian Nomads

The works of Muhammad Siyah Qalam are completely different both in terms of content and style than the rest of the unknown Mongolian works of art. The paintings can be thematically divided into two groups: religious depictions and scenes from the life of the nomads. Thus, one finds interesting depictions of the hunt or of splendid caravans alongside devilish-looking figures, demons and animals, rituals and dancing. These artworks offer a unique inside view into 15th century Mongolian culture.