Publication Date
Eleventh century AH / sixteenth century AD
Publication Place
-
Museum of Arts and Crafts (MKG)
Subject
Leather, lacquer, gold, silver
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع : 18 سم ، الطول : 32 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
1894.27
Record ID
object;EPM;de;Mus21;9;ar
Library Location
Museum of Arts and Crafts (MKG)
Date
Eleventh century AH / sixteenth century AD
Notes
This leather bookbinding is decorated with gold and silver lacquer and was made in the sixteenth century by a workshop in the Persian court. The binding shows the great importance of the art of bookbinding in Islamic cultures. The drawing with lacquer on the skin depicts a paradisiacal scene: a bird flies between the clouds in the sky and sits on a tree and the surrounding bushes. A leopard fights another animal on the left, a tiger fights a gazelle on the right, and two dragons duel under the tree. Mythical and imaginary animals such as the human head, the body of an animal, mythical unicorns, dragons with clouds and cranes in the sky show the Chinese influence on this work of art. The technique of painting with lacquer also originates from China, but bookbinding using lacquer is a Persian invention from the late 15th century in Iran, while when gilding and bookbinding are combined, the protective cover is transformed into a pictorial work. Technician. The fighting animals are images from pre-Islamic stages that refer to Paradise. The precision and vividness of the drawing make the cover an outstanding example of Persian bookbinding illustration.
Sample Text
“Book Binding” within Discover Islamic Art Collections. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;de;Mus21;9;ar
