The Golden Age of Persian Art 1501-1722
Canby, a curator in the department of Oriental antiquities at the British Museum, has produced an informative, scholarly, and sumptuously illustrated volume on the art of Persia's Safavid dynasty. The term art includes, among other things, ceramics, carpets, architectureDand, of course, the wonderful manuscript illuminations. Canby examines each of the dynasty's reigns in turn, discussing its political events and major artistic achievements. It is interesting to note how carefully and comprehensively each important building is examined in a volume that covers such a variety of artistic media. The author is very well versed in her subject and familiar with the relevant scholarly publications. The text is clearly written and supported, where necessary, by endnotes. The photographs are clearly reproduced and attest to the superb quality of the art of the time. This is a volume for academic and larger public libraries.DMartin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CTCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.