Page arrangement and compositional structure in saz-style drawings attributed to Shahkulu
Abstract
This study examines saz-style drawings attributed to Shahkulu in terms of page arrangement and compositional structure within the context of Turkish illumination. Previous studies have generally discussed the saz style through motif repertoire, stylistic features, and the iconographic meanings of figural elements. This article instead evaluates how decorative elements are organized on the page surface, how linear axes guide the composition, and how figural and vegetal elements contribute to compositional organization. The research adopts a qualitative design and combines document analysis, descriptive visual analysis, and comparative compositional analysis. Four examples held in the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Topkapı Palace Museum Library, and Istanbul University Library were selected through purposive sampling. The analysis is based on six criteria: direction of visual flow, zones of density, focal points, balance between filled and empty areas, figural-vegetal relationship, and the relationship with page boundaries. The findings show that saz-style compositions are not governed by a single fixed scheme; rather, they are organized through different models such as continuous flow, central concentration, reciprocal balance, and differentiated compositional fields within the murakka context. The study concludes that the saz style should be defined not only by its motif repertoire but also by the relational organization of linear axes and decorative elements on the page.