Art of the Book

Bit rushed for time this week with studying and building work in the house.
So I’ll point you in the direction of a great introduction here.

Here are some images and some links for you to follow. 
I’ve tried to give you a very quick insight into how the art developed over time.

Folio from an Arabic translation of the Materia Medica. 1224
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
H: 24.6 W: 33.1 cm
Baghdad, Iraq

Al-Jazari: Water-raising-device from al-Jazari's Kitab fi macrifat al-hiyal al-handasiyya (The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices, a.k.a. Automata)
The Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, N° A 3472  ca. 1205

The elephant clock from Al-Jazari's manuscript. 1315

Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami; verso: Khusraw discovers Shirin bathing in a pool.  1548. Safavid period
Ink, opaque watercolor, silver and gold on paper
H: 31.1 W: 19.7 cm
Shiraz, Iran

At the end of each week we are asked to select a favourite item from the many, varied selection we are asked to look at.  Mine for this last week is from the Adventures of Hamza.  With tales of legendary hero's and … well, adventures! 
The colours are so beautiful and fresh and the detail is exquisite.