Iran: Five Millennia of Art and Culture
by Ute Franke (Editor), Ina Sarikhani (Editor), Stefan Weber (Editor)

Iran: Five Millennia of Art and Culture presents 360 objects from the time of the first advanced civilizations during the third millennium BCE until the end of the Safavid Empire in the early eighteenth century. Amid searing deserts, lush forests, varied coastlines, and vast mountain ranges emerged one of the oldest civilizations and with it, a fascinating artistic culture that drew inspiration from the natural world. As these objects attest, Iran had outstanding significance as the initiator and center of intercultural exchange.

Exquisite artworks from the Sarikhani Collection in London and the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin invite visitors to embark on a journey through the cultural heritage of Iran. The highlights include works from the great pre-Islamic empires of the Achaemenids and the Sasanids, the establishment of a Persian-Islamic culture, the masterly artistic achievements of the ninth to the fifteenth centuries, and the Golden Age of the Safavids. Providing insight into the art of the courts and the urban elites, these works are brought together in a multifaceted kaleidoscope through an array of gorgeous full-color reproductions.

About the Authors

Ute Franke was the deputy director at the Museum für Islamische Kunst – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin until 2019.

Ina Sarikhani Sandmann is the director of the Sarikhani Collection, which is devoted to the arts of Iran.

Stefan Weber is the director of the Museum für Islamische Kunst – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.