Illumination: Ornamenting the page

Tezhip is the art of ornamentation done with gold and colors. Examples are found at the beginning of manuscripts, at the start of chapters (surahs), and on calligraphy plates. Patterns, colors, and spaces create a visual order that surrounds the writing.

In a manuscript, ornamentation does not have to fill the entire page. The initial area, the surroundings of the writing, or section transitions can be emphasized in different ways. The repetition and proportions of motifs are as important as the combination of gold and colors. A small detail can affect the layout of the entire page.

Tezhip and calligraphy are not the same thing; one highlights the aesthetics of the writing, while the other emphasizes the ornamentation. However, in a book, these works do not appear detached from each other. The motifs surrounding the writing affect where the eye is directed and how the page is perceived as a whole. Binding and paper are also other parts of this whole.

While looking at an example of tezhip, we can observe how flower or leaf shapes are simplified and repeated. Asking whether there are small differences in places where symmetry appears also increases attention. Thus, the work is read not only as a shiny ornament but as knowledge of pattern construction and patient labor.