"In this book, the historian of Islamic art Oleg Grabar introduces Western audiences to Persian painting. Consisting primarily of miniatures illustrating works of literature, but also including murals and small ceramics decorated with pictures, these masterpieces have a visual richness that requires use of the intellect as well as the eye for their appreciation. Grabar seeks to situate the reader within their world, that of Islamic culture in Iran from the Middle Ages to modern times. Through a series of chapters on various aspects of Persian painting, he helps us understand its history, the characteristics that define it, and the delights to be discovered in it."--BOOK JACKET.