Abstract
Peacock ink, known as Murakkabi ṭāvūsī, was created and used by Persian master calligraphers especially from the 14th century onwards. It is a sub-category of Persian ink which contains four main ingredients: lamp black, gum Arabic, green vitriol (ferrous sulphate) and gall nut extract (tannic acid). It is differentiated from other inks in that it contains many additional secondary ingredients which will be covered in this paper. Peacock ink derives its name from the range of different coloured materials added to the ink as well as the blue-green undertone this predominantly black ink is said to have. It is reputed to be a high-quality product, rumoured to stay on paper for centuries and is not affected by water, abrasion or other detrimental factors. It was the aim of this investigation to identify and describe in detail ingredients used to make this ink by finding and translating 17 recipes contained in 11 Persian treatises (15th–16th ce). Of the 31 ingredients found, 16 are plant based, 13 minerals, and 2 animal (protein) based, and in all cases water was used as the vehicle.
About the authors
Sadra Zekrgoo is a PhD candidate at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, University of Melbourne. His research is focused on the historical reconstruction and analysis of traditional Persian inks. He received his M. A. in Conservation of Fine Arts, specializing in paper conservation from Northumbria University, UK in 2012.
Dr Petronella Nel is a Lecturer at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (GCCMC) at the University of Melbourne. She is currently working on a collaborative ARC Linkage Project ‘A National Framework for managing malignant plastics in Museum Collections’. She is interested in developing analytical techniques for characterising polymers, dyes and pigments in order to inform their preservation. She has the following qualifications: BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, a PhD in Chemistry and a MA in Cultural Materials Conservation.
Professor Robyn Sloggett is the Director of the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne. Her research interests include attribution and authentication of Australian paintings, the development of the Australian art market, collection development and history, the investigation of the materials and techniques of artists, and the preservation of cultural materials held in Australian Indigenous communities. She holds qualifications in art history, philosophy, and cultural materials conservation (applied science). She holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank The Barakat Trust for providing the funds which supported travelling to Iran to interview master calligraphers and other experts in the field, and the purchase of materials and ingredients necessary for making black inks. The authors also acknowledge the following individuals for their guidance and expertise: Dr Jalil Jokar, Master Keikhosrow Khoroush, Associate Professor Mandana Barkeshli and Professor Amir H. Zekrgoo.
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Zusammenfassung
„Pfauentinte“ – über die Inhaltsstoffe der kostbarsten persischen Tinte
Pfauentinte, in Persien bekannt unter Murakkabi ṭāvūsī, wurde von Meisterkalligraphen vor allem ab dem 14. Jhdt. hergestellt und verwendet. Pfauentinte ist eine Art Persischer Tinte und enthält vier Hauptinhaltsstoffe: Lampenschwarz, Gummi Arabicum, Eisenvitriol (Eisensulfat) und Galläpfel-Extrakt (Gerbsäure). Sie unterscheidet sich von anderen Tinten durch ihre zahlreichen Zusätze, die in diesem Beitrag vorgestellt werden. Pfauentinte erhielt ihren Namen einerseits von der großen Vielfalt an farbigen Materialien, die der Tinte zugesetzt wurden, andererseits von dem blaugrünen Grundton dieser auf den ersten Blick schwarzen Tinte. Diese Tinte ist ein Beschreibstoff von sehr hoher Qualität, soll Jahrhunderte lang auf dem Papier verbleiben, ist nicht wasserempfindlich und wird nicht abgerieben oder durch andere Einwirkungen beeinträchtigt. Das Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es, 17 Rezepturen aus insgesamt 11 persischen Traktaten aus dem 15. – 16. Jhdt. zu übersetzen, um so die Inhaltsstoffe dieser Tinte zu identifizieren und im Detail beschreiben zu können. Von den 32 beschriebenen Zutaten wurden 17 aus Pflanzen, 12 aus Mineralien und 2 aus Tieren (Proteine) hergestellt, alle Farben waren wasservermalbar.
Résumé
L´encre peacock: enquête sur les constituants de la plus recherchée des encres de Perse
L´encre peacock, connue sous le nom „Murakkabi Tavusi“ a été créée et utilisée par les Maîtres calligraphes perses, particulièrement à partir du 14ème siècle. C´est une sous catégorie de l´encre perse et qui contient quatre ingrédients principaux: le noir de lampe, la gomme arabique, le vert vitriol (un sulfate ferrique) et de l´extrait de noix de galle (acide tannique). Elle se différencie des autres encres car elle contient de nombreux ingredients additionnels dont nous traiterons dans cet exposé. L´encre peacock doit son nom aux différents matériaux colorés ajoutés à l´encre ainsi qu´au ton bleu-vert sous-jacent supposé dominer cette encre noire. Elle est réputée être un produit de grande qualité, dont on prétend qu´elle reste sur le papier pendant des siècles, qu´elle n´est pas affectée, ni par l´eau, ni par l´abrasion, ni par dautres facteurs néfastes. Le but de cette investigation était d´identifier et de décrire en détail les ingrédients utilisés pour fabriquer cette encre en retrouvant et traduisant 17 recettes contenues dans 11 traités perses (des 15 et 16ème siècles). Parmi les 32 ingrédients rencontrés, 17 sont à base de plantes, 12 sont d´origine minérale et 2 animale (protéine) et dans tous les cas, l´eau a été utilisée comme véhicule.
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