Davlat Toshev

Ustoz-shogird

Miniaturist

©Andrey Arakelyan

Restoration art, painting and spirituality

Davlat has been restoring ancient books for over 20 years
For his own works he uses ancient or handmade paper
It takes him three months to finish each work

Davlat Toshev was secretly taught the principles and techniques of Persian miniature painting by his father, at the time when the state discouraged practising it as a religious art. Today, Davlat restores ancient manuscripts and creates new paintings, sometimes using sheets of silk paper dating back over 200 years. He is inspired by the rich history of Bukhara, its cultural heritage and the profound spirituality of the people: from there he borrows ideas and themes for his works. Besides painting, Davlat dedicates a lot of time and effort to teaching children, believing that every child has talent and potential. He converted a run-down 19th-century building in Bukhara into a free school, where everyone can attend to learn ancient art.

Interview

©Andrey Arakelyan

©Andrey Arakelyan

How did you choose to dedicate yourself to this ancient tradition?: Our ancient books constantly need restoration, and I feel passionate about contributing to this task. There are certain rules for painting or restoring a miniature and it has taken me years of hard work to master them. But I never regretted my choice of profession.
How do you select each element of your work: paper, colours, paints?: I take my work very seriously. I am particularly happy when I manage to source spare sheets of ancient paper that I can use for my own work. Alternatively, I make my own paper and I also use my own paints that I make using natural products.
How does restoring old masterpieces help you in your own work?: Restoration of ancient works requires profound knowledge. Everything has to be done in the same style in which it was originally made. This of course helps me to learn and understand more and more every time and that inevitably influences my own practice.
What is the most important thing that you try to teach your students?: For me the most important thing is to help each student to realise their potential. They learn to follow their passion and it pushes them forward. Many of them are so gifted that their works astonish me with their subtlety and inner power, even though they are still very young.

Davlat Toshev is a master artisan: he began his career in 1990 and he started teaching in 1992