From ancient Luristan bronzes to Safavid miniatures, this exhibition traces the extraordinary artistic heritage of Iran and the Persian world. Spanning three millennia, these works reveal a civilization that produced some of the most refined metalwork, ceramics, and textiles in human history.
The Persian artistic tradition is one of the longest and most influential in world history. Beginning with the remarkable bronzes of Luristan and the monumental reliefs of Persepolis, through the refined ceramics of the Seljuk and Safavid periods, Iranian artists mastered nearly every medium.
This exhibition features works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's renowned Islamic Art and Ancient Near Eastern Art departments, showcasing the continuity and evolution of Iranian artistic expression across cultures, religions, and empires — from Zoroastrian Persia through Islamic Iran.
Highlights include intricately decorated Mina'i ware bowls from 12th-century Iran, ceremonial weapons with calligraphic inscriptions, ancient bronze figures from the Zagros Mountains, and carpets that represent centuries of weaving tradition.
Curator
Vasily Gnuchev
Visibility
Public
Bronze
