At 0:53, the narrator says that the drawn lines "... couldn't happen without his having been trained in writing elegant scripts". So, all artists drawing fine lines know or are trained in calligraphy? Without more information or background about the artist, I would not make such sweeping statements about the impossibility of certain relatively simple drawing styles, like line drawing.

It isn't background on the _artist alone_ that such a conclusion could be derived from. What is more pertinent here is the _context_ in which this _type_ of artist may have painted. In this way, so long as we know the type of art, the region, the styles, the typical training of artists under these pretenses etc...certain inferences can be drawn. I don't think that that is so unreasonable for this curator to then make such an assertion, do you?

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Course: The Metropolitan Museum of Art > Unit 1

Lesson 8: Observations

Groom and Rider

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Met curator Sheila Canby on the economy of line in Groom and Rider from Tabriz, Iran, 1540–50.

The subject of horseman and groom is common in Safavid art. The rider’s handsome appearance and elegant posture embody the ideal of youthful beauty, while the groom’s sprightly step and animated expression add liveliness to the drawing. Although the minimal ornamentation suggests that this was a preliminary sketch, the precision of the line and the attention to texture allow it to stand on its own as a finished work.

View this work on metmuseum.org.

Are you an educator? Here's a related lesson plan. For additional educator resources from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, visit Find an Educator Resource.

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Anthony Natoli
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Anthony Natoli's post “At 0:53, the narrator say...”
At
0:53
, the narrator says that the drawn lines "... couldn't happen without his having been trained in writing elegant scripts". So, all artists drawing fine lines know or are trained in calligraphy? Without more information or background about the artist, I would not make such sweeping statements about the impossibility of certain relatively simple drawing styles, like line drawing.
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- Jeff Kelman
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Jeff Kelman's post “It isn't background on th...”
  It isn't background on the artist alone that such a conclusion could be derived from. What is more pertinent here is the context in which this type of artist may have painted. In this way, so long as we know the type of art, the region, the styles, the typical training of artists under these pretenses etc...certain inferences can be drawn. I don't think that that is so unreasonable for this curator to then make such an assertion, do you?
  Comment on Jeff Kelman's post “It isn't background on th...”
  (2 votes)

Video transcript

This drawing goes against certain expectations about Persian painting in the sixteenth century. People imagine highly detailed, brightly colored scenes with many, many figures, and here we have just two colors, red and black and extraordinary economy of line. Persian society in the sixteenth century was quite literate. Artists such as the one who did this would have been expected to learn calligraphy with a reed pen. This marvelous pen could make a line narrower and then wider and suggest volume. The sort of calligraphic curves of the skirt of the groom’s robe couldn’t happen without his having been trained in writing elegant scripts. They’re masters at this kind of variation of texture. Short, sharp little lines give the sense of the fuzziness of the fur hat. Even the crinkling of the pant leg down near the rider’s foot is so tactile. With the most assured, simple line the artist has given all three beings character. The little groom has a smile on his face, the horseman has a sort of faint smile on his face, and even the horse has a very bright-eyed look. While it’s possible that this was a preliminary drawing, it’s such a finished piece. I think it communicates a kind of mood. It’s very light and airy. A sense of fluttering. The human figures and the horse all have some kind of buoyancy. It actually lifts you up. There’s no break in the line; there’s no hesitation in the hand of the artist. He’s absolutely sure of what he’s doing. That has a universal appeal over time. It is delicate, and elegant, and just beautiful.