The Garden At Beyazit Mosque

April 2005
Istanbul, Turkey

It was Spring and the garden at Beyazit Mosque was filled with luminous coral quince blossoms and waxy-yellow forsythia and golden seed pods hanging from trees bursting with uncurling chartreuse leaves. There were gypsies in brightly colored dress selling their wares, each with a black trash bag filled to capacity

On my third visit to Istanbul, April 2005, I painted in Beyazit Mosque Garden near Istanbul University.

During this time I was determined to visit Topkapi Palace Art Museum in Sultanahmet to see the original Layla and Majnun Miniatures of the Shiraz School era. I was rewarded with an unforgettable sight as the curator unearthed the ancient treasure from the Library and I beheld the tiny, magnificent, hand-painted miniatures that graced the pages of a leather bound jewel-studded book. The vibrant lavender, mint green and other dazzling hues at once became indelibly engrained in my heart and mind's inner sensibility reservoir to be dipped into for my future Persian paintings. How could I know that the following year in February 2006, I was destined to paint the sets for a production of Layla and Majnun in India?

Please contact Laurie Blum for details.