Introduction

The excellence and repute of Persian painting are neither unknown nor need painters be proved. Several thousands of these paintings have been preserved in various collections all over the world and many have been identified and listed in catalogues. Art historians, nevertheless, often consider the history of Persian painting as starting in the middle of the 14th century. This book is devoted to the different stages in the making of a painted manuscript. It considers the production of the manuscript with regard to the materials and the techniques used. The book describes the various manufacturing stages, starting from the preparation of the ground (essentially paper) and some observations concerning the rules of composition and layout, going on through the creation of the colours right up to the various subjects of the paintings and types of binding. It also illustrates the material and human means which make the production of manuscript paintings possible.