A Study of the Illustrative Capacities of Khwandamir's Gharayib al-Asrar Based on the Characteristics of the Paintings in Aja'ib al-Makhluqat wa Gharayib al-Mawjudat

This is a research article examining the visual potential of the Persian cosmographical text known as the Aja'ib al-makhluqat wa ghara'ib al-mawjudat for illustrating the fantastical and imaginative elements found in Khwandamir's wonder-book. The study explores an intertextual dialogue between the two works, focusing on how the design of strange spaces, places, creatures, and figures in the illustrated manuscript might inform the visual and dramatic representation of the wonder-book's fantasy components. The article also addresses how adaptation theory is commonly applied to Persian classical texts, noting the challenges that arise when a source text lacks a fully coherent narrative structure with a clear beginning, middle, and end.