From Isfahan through Samarqand and to the Taj Mahal, the luxurious 'Persian style' took Islamic art to new aesthetic heights. In this superbly crafted survey, Henri Stierlin discusses the vast scope of Islamic architecture and architectural decoration from the frontiers of Iran to the heart of India and places it within its historical context, while copious photographs of Islam's monuments, ceramics, miniatures and carpets enable us to use art as a window into Islamic culture.The final section of the book is an in-depth presentation of nine great masterpieces of Islamic architecture, including the Friday Mosque in Isfahan, the Registan in Samarqand, the abandoned Mughal city of Fategpur Sikri and Agra's miraculous Taj Mahal.Written in a lively and accessible style, this magnificently illustrated book shows us not only the range but also the amazing skill and virtuosity of the Islamic architect. With its clear yet thoroughly comprehensive coverage of this immense subject, it is an indispensible overview of one of this great civilization's artistic traditions.
