This beautifully illustrated book explores the complex relationship between artistic production and gift-based patronage in the Islamic world, looking at works of great aesthetic achievement that were either commissioned or repurposed as gifts. By tracing the unique histories of a selection of artworks, the author reveals how the exchange of luxury objects was central to the circulation and assimilation of artistic forms both within and beyond the Islamic world. The catalogue features 70 works from the eighth to the 20th centuries, including some of the most impressive examples of jewellery, armour, weaponry, carpets, and illustrated copies of the Qur’an.
Language English/Arabic
Publication date 2012
ISBN 978-0300-184-35-8