Persian Manuscript

History has never known a state like the Islamic nation, which is so prolific in producing manuscripts covering a wide range of topics. Many peoples have adopted the Arabic alphabet to register the words of their mother tongue. This manuscript is a copy from the poetry of Hafiz al-Shirazi, the Persian mystic. It also features a collection of the artist’s tableaus which appear as miniature paintings amidst the pages of text. One image even includes a miniature portrait of the poet Hafiz al-Shirazi himself.

In addition to manuscript writing, book-binding was also an important art form in Islam. The cover of this book is made of pressed leather with embossed decorations of delicate floral trellis inside golden geometrical forms.