Epic Iran : 5000 years of culture / John Curtis, Ina Sarikhani Sandmann, Tim Stanley.

5000 years of culture

Five thousand years of culture

"The Iranian Plateau extends for close to 2,000 km, encompassing dizzying mountain ranges, rolling hills, forests and rich farm lands. It has been home to some of the greatest civilizations of both the ancient and medieval worlds, with spectacular achievements in scholarship and material culture - but these remain poorly known internationally. This lavishly illustrated publication tells the story of Iran from the dawn of the historical period in 5,000 BC to today. It is unique in combining the ancient and Islamic periods as well as contemporary art, from sculpture to goldsmiths' work, from ceramics and glass to illustrated manuscripts, and from textiles and carpets to oil paintings, drawings and photographs. 'Epic Iran' powerfully conveys the beauty and fragility of Iranian art and opens our eyes to the attainments of a tenacious and fascinating culture."-- Publisher's description.

"Iran was home to some of the greatest civilizations of both the ancient and medieval worlds, but these achievements are now little known outside the country. Epic Iran brings together 250 fascinating objects and images to cast a rare light on 5000 years of history, showing how civilized life emerged in Iran around 3200 BC, and how a distinctive Iranian identity, formed 2500 years ago, has survived until today, expressed through artistic continuities, religious affiliations, and Persian literature. Lavishly illustrated, this magnificent and important book encompasses metalwork, ceramics, glass, illustrated manuscripts, textiles, carpets, oil paintings, drawings and photographs from international collections. It brings treasures from the ancient and Islamic worlds together with the work of contemporary artists and makers, demonstrating the rich legacy that still influences modern-day practitioners."-- Publisher's description, page [2] of jacket.

London, England : V & A Publishing, 2021.

336 pages : illustrations (chiefly colour), colour map ; 30 cm

Includes bibliographical references (pages 320-322) and index.

Director's Foreword -- Partner Forewords -- Introduction / Tim Stanley -- Emerging Iran: Silent Treasures From the Dawn of History / John Curtis -- The Persian Empire / John Curtis -- Last of the Ancient Empires: The Iranian Renaissance / John Curtis -- Change of Faith: The Advent of Islam / Tim Stanley -- The Iranian Synthesis: An Identity Reborn / Tim Stanley -- Literary Excellence / Tim Stanley -- Royal Patronage / Tim Stanley -- The Old and the New / Tim Stanley -- Modern and Contemporary Iran / Ina Sarikhani Sandmann -- Notes -- Exhibited Works -- Timeline -- Acknowledgments -- Credits -- Index.

Published to accompany the exhibition Epic Iran at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, from 29 May to 12 September 2021.

Includes an image of Wellcome Collection manuscript MS Persian 474 which was loaned to the exhibition, pages 172-3

Text in English.