The Arts of Persia & Other Countries of Islam

In Short

This work serves as a companion to a 1926 exhibition of Persian and Islamic art. It acts as a bridge between the reader and the historical context of the objects on display, tracing how the rise of Islam and the subsequent fusion of Arabian faith with Persian culture created a unique, enduring aesthetic. By examining manuscripts, architecture, and courtly crafts, the text argues that these artistic manifestations were not merely decorative but deeply rooted in a desire to reconcile physical beauty with the spiritual quest for the divine.

The Story

The narrative begins by framing the Islamic expansion not merely as a military or political conquest, but as a catalyst for a sophisticated cultural synthesis. The text posits that the venerable empires of Persia and Byzantium were, at the time of the Islamic advent, suffering from internal stagnation and crushing despotism. Against this backdrop, the followers of the Prophet emerged with a creed that was both rational and unifying. This new religion did not demand the destruction of existing civilizations but instead absorbed and transformed them, with Persia playing the most influential role in shaping the artistic and intellectual character of the new order.

As the argument progresses, the text shifts from historical overview to the heart of its thesis: the role of mysticism. It suggests that while the formal teachings of Islam provided a structure for daily life and social progress, the Persian spirit—imbued with older, deep-seated traditions—yearned for something more. This tension between the "phenomenal" world of the senses and the "Ideal" led to a distinct philosophy of art. Artists, poets, and craftsmen began to treat the material world as a "bridge" to the divine. The book details how this philosophy manifested across centuries, from the 13th-century manuscripts of Tabari to the royal courts of the Great Moguls in India.

The arc of the text reaches its conclusion by focusing on the "human" element. It describes how this fusion of the spiritual and the physical resulted in a style that remained consistent even as it spread across vast geographies and diverse populations. Through descriptions of the gardens of Isfahan, the illuminated manuscripts of Jami, and the regal court portraits, the narrative illustrates how the "phantasmal" beauty of the world—tiled palaces, intricate rugs, and melodic poetry—was intended to guide the soul toward the One. The final chapters emphasize that this artistic movement was not a stagnant relic of the past but a vibrant, living tradition that elevated the mundane into the sacred. The book closes by inviting the reader to view these objects not as isolated artifacts, but as symbols of a civilization that sought to find the infinite within the finite, asserting that the spirit of this art remains a testament to the enduring quest for beauty and truth.

How It Unfolds

The rise of a new order The text opens by situating the Islamic expansion within the context of crumbling Byzantine and Persian empires. It argues that the strength of the new faith lay in its rational principles and its ability to consolidate disparate, warring tribes into a unified civilization.

The Persian influence The narrative then asserts that Persia acted as the "sun" of the Islamic world, radiating a sophisticated cultural energy that influenced everything from government administration to the fine arts. This period is described not as a dark age, but as a time of intellectual fusion and transformation.

The bridge of mysticism The focus shifts to the esoteric nature of Islamic art, proposing that the material world served as a bridge to the divine. It explains how poets and artists used physical beauty to express the "wherefore, the whence, and the whither" of the human soul.

The legacy of the masters The final section examines specific examples, such as the manuscripts of Jami and the courtly life of the Moguls, to show how this philosophy was applied. It concludes that the resulting art is fundamentally "human," reflecting a harmonious union between worldly magnificence and eternal bliss.

The People

The book centers on both the historical figures who defined the era and the scholars who interpreted their legacy. Muhammad is presented as the primary source of the "majestic creed" that enabled a new civilization to rise, providing the spiritual framework that would later inspire centuries of art. Timur-i-Lang appears as a representative of the height of imperial grandeur, embodying the power and luxury of the courts that fostered such artistic refinement.

The poet Jami stands out as the voice of the mystical philosophy central to the book’s argument, his verse providing the emotional and intellectual proof that earthly love and beauty serve as precursors to the divine. Shah Abbas the Great and the Great Moguls, particularly Akbar and Shah Jahan, are depicted as the ultimate patrons who turned these aesthetic ideals into tangible reality through architecture and portraiture. The text also relies heavily on the work of Edward G. Browne, a scholar who provides the academic foundation for the book’s claims about Persian influence. Finally, H.K. (Hagop K. Kevorkian) acts as the curator and guide, the invisible hand inviting the reader to look past the museum glass and understand the deep, historical heart of the objects he has assembled.

In Its Own Voice

"It was undoubtedly to ISLAM, that simple yet majestic creed of which no unprejudiced student can ignore the grandeur, that Arabs owed the splendid part which they were destined to play in the history of civilization."

This statement appears early in the book to explain the foundational influence of the Islamic faith on the development of subsequent culture.

"The PHANTASMAL is the BRIDGE to the REAL."

This core maxim is presented as the primary motivation for the Persian artists who sought to represent the divine through the beauty of the material world.

"Lips sweet as sugar on my pen bestow, And from my book let streams of odour flow."

This couplet by the poet Jami is included to illustrate the lyrical and sensory nature of the manuscripts that define the collection.

What It's Really About

At its core, this work is an investigation into the intersection of faith and aesthetics. It asks how a religious movement, often defined in the West by its laws and expansion, could give rise to such profound artistic sensitivity. The central argument is that Islamic art is not a monolithic category but a Persian-inspired synthesis that views the physical world as a pedagogical tool for the soul. The book grapples with the question of whether beauty—in the form of gardens, calligraphy, and painting—is an end in itself or a necessary path to the divine. It ultimately concludes that for the Persian-Islamic tradition, the two are inseparable, and that art serves as the essential vocabulary for discussing the unseen.

Why Read It Today

This book is a thoughtful, if brief, companion for those who find themselves moved by the quiet complexity of Islamic art. It is best suited for the patient reader who enjoys a blend of historical narrative and philosophical meditation. You will find it particularly rewarding if you have ever stood before a piece of intricate Persian calligraphy or a complex tile pattern and wondered about the world that produced it.

The prose is warm and scholarly, reflecting the sensibilities of an early 20th-century collector. Because it was written in 1926 as a guide for an exhibition, it carries a sense of urgency and invitation. It does not attempt to be a comprehensive history, but rather a curated entry point. Modern readers should be prepared for the author's occasional reliance on the colonial-era scholarship of his time, such as the frequent citations of European historians like Dozy or Browne. While these perspectives reflect the academic tone of the 1920s, they do not detract from the book's primary purpose: to share a genuine, deep-seated appreciation for the "human" spirit behind these enduring treasures. It is a slim, elegant volume that leaves you with a heightened awareness of how even the smallest artistic detail can hold a universe of meaning.