Bookbinding, Afghanistan, Herat, ca. 1580, Leather, pasteboard, gold, lapis blue, green, red, blue and black paint, AKM387

Bookbinding, Afghanistan, Herat, ca. 1580, Leather, pasteboard, gold, lapis blue, green, red, blue and black paint, AKM387

The intricate golden covers of this book were tooled using a large stamp pressed into the covers along a horizontal central line, creating a perfectly symmetrical design. Now missing the characteristic envelope flap, these covers were likely produced in the Khurasan region (today's Afghanistan), where artisans developed their own decorative style featuring tiny flower and leaf shapes (rumi). The inner covers (or 'doublures') visible in the mirror are embellished using a technique called kaat'i, where gilded filigree leatherwork covers a strikingly vivid painted ground.

Aga Khan Museum

ca. 1580

Photographer Credit: Courtesy of the Aga Khan Museum

Aga Khan Museum

Materials: Leather, pasteboard, gold, lapis blue, green, red, blue and black paint

AKM387

Afghanistan, Herat