The exhibition of Persian masterpieces at the Toledo Museum of Art (23 April – 17 July) features more than 100 works from the Hossein Afshar Collection – one of the most significant collections of Persian Art in the world. With pieces ranging from the sixth to the nineteenth centuries, the exhibition examines the changing landscape of Persian lands displayed across six sections. Highlights of the exhibition include the section titled ‘Love and Longing’ which explores how calligraphers and painters worked to transform Persian literature into art, featuring the miniature paintings from the Persian national epic, the Shanama (‘Book of Kings’), which narrates the history of the ancient kings of Iran. Find out more on the Toledo Museum of Art’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here
Gold pendant with gemstones and pearls (c. 19th-century). Courtesy the Hossein Afshar Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; photo: © The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Steel pear inlaid with gold (c. 19th-century). Courtesy the Hossein Afshar Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; photo: © The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Stonepaste bottle (c. 17th-century). Courtesy the Hossein Afshar Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; photo: © The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
“Shapur Dhu’l-Aktaf Attacks the Fortress of Tayir,” Folio from a Shahnama of Firdausi (c. 16th-century). Courtesy the Hossein Afshar Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; photo: © The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston