In Uzbekistan’s domed city of Bukhara, master miniaturist Davron Toshev creates exquisite works inspired by an ancient landscape. His world is diminutive and precise; he follows the historic Bukhara School where size and perspective give way to intense detail and lush color. His work can take months, sometimes years to finish and often requires using a paintbrush with one hair harvested from the cats or rabbits he keeps nearby, along with a special magnifying glass. Adding modern gouache and tempera to age-old motifs and techniques, Toshev’s hand can turn the smallest mark into the most refined adornment. His gold accents, some delicate, others bold, add a level of historical gravitas to his intricate scenes. For a mystical look at the universe, see Constellation, his exceptionally textured cobalt blue-skied painting honoring Bukhara’s early breakthrough in astronomy. The genre dates back to Medieval days, when minute and detailed illustrations accompanied religious and official manuscripts throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. Using a brush made from just a single hair, painters across the region transformed lyrical poetry and philosophical writings into magnificently crafted illustrations, richly detailed and colored. The so-called Miniaturists flourished as essential to Uzbek culture, but once under Soviet control, they were repressed. Toshev is germane to their revival, capturing the past with a contemporary twist to give his culture a future. Training artists to refine their technique is a great inspiration to the painter, who hopes he has spurred many future generations of Uzbek Miniaturists. Exhibited in Central Asia, Europe, and Washington, DC., Toshev’s collectors are worldwide.