Bookbinding (Jild-i kitab)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite 19th-century bookbinding, known as *Jild-i kitab* (Persian for "book cover hails from the Islamic world and exemplifies the artistry of manuscript protection in codices—bound volumes of sacred texts like the Qur'an or poetry. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art Department, it measures a compact 8 7/16 x 5 inches, designed to encase precious books while serving as a decorative object in its own right. Gifted in 1907 by Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke, the Met's first director, it reflects the era's fascination with Orientalist collecting. Crafted from pasteboard—a sturdy, la...