My Name is Red: Chapter 41 Summary & Analysis

Master Osman admits that he was horrified when he first saw the illustrations of the book, and has now decided to return to them in order to figure out what disturbed him so much. He is angered by the fact that there is no story, and that the illustration exist in isolation. He objects to the style in which the illustrations have been rendered, which he considers to be “devoid of any skill whatsoever.” He is also offended by the subjects of the illustrations, particularly Satan, the dervishes, and the dog. He is “terrified” by the vividness of the color red in the illustrations. Osman claims that he knows which miniaturist completed which picture, but Black says he doubts that, given that they were not produced in the miniaturists’ usual styles.

Master Osman answers with a parable about a shah who loved two things: illustrated manuscripts and his beautiful daughter. One day, a miniaturist delivered a version of Shirin and Hüsrev to the shah, and he realized that his daughter was depicted as one of the background characters. The miniaturist attempted to conceal his identity, but the shah located him through examining the way he depicted ears. Osman explains that painters do not pay much attention to ears and thus unconsciously illustrate them in their own distinct style. The Commander’s men enter the room, carrying illustrations they have seized from the miniaturists. Black asks how the story ends, and Osman decides not to tell him that the miniaturist was blinded; instead, he says that the miniaturist married the shah’s daughter. Osman repeats that it is difficult to identify the style of a miniaturist who has taken care to conceal any kind of “stylistic signature”; however, by looking at certain clues it is possible.

Master Osman and Black look through the book and are able to attribute particular illustrations to Olive, Stork, and Butterfly. In this way, they are able to learn the stylistic attributes of each miniaturist. Osman notes that Olive comes from a long line of Mongol illustrators and that he was never able to persuade Olive to abandon East Asian stylistic influences. Osman once paid him a surprise visit at home and saw that his workspace was messy and disorganized. Osman claims that Olive is both the most “quiet and sensitive” miniaturist and the most “guilty,” “traitorous,” and “devious.” However, Osman does not believe Olive is the murderer because Olive doesn’t “believe in anything.” Black and Osman discuss possible reasons why Olive might have murdered Enishte, but they reach no conclusion.

Next Black and Osman consider Butterfly. Osman admits that he finds it unbelievable that a man could be both as handsome and as talented as Butterfly. He admits that, although he beats all his miniaturists, he still respects them—particularly Butterfly. Butterfly has a strong sense of justice and is eager to please. Black and Osman wonder whether Butterfly’s desperation to become Head Illuminator after Osman’s death could have led him to murder. In fact, Osman already wants Butterfly to succeed him, as he doesn’t trust Olive and he believes that Stork will “unwittingly become a slave to the Venetian style.” Osman tells Black that his special relationship with Butterfly used to make the other miniaturists jealous. Black mentions that there are rumors that Butterfly is a follower of the Hoja of Erzurum. Osman comments that the tradition of miniaturist painting is doomed to be forgotten in favor of the European style.

Black and Osman move on to Stork, who Osman claims is “ambitious and conceited.” Osman admits that if one of the three miniaturists is indeed the murderer, he hopes it’s Stork. Stork uses the same level of realist detail as the European painters, but unlike the Europeans he doesn’t depict people’s faces as unique and individual. Stork is cynical and mocks everything. Black comments that Stork loved to paint violent and “gruesome” scenes, however Master Osman replies that a painter’s character is not revealed in his subject matter.