Among the most beautiful and precious textiles in the world, carpets
from Islamic lands have been treasured for centuries. These woven and
knotted masterpieces are both distinguished works of art and utilitarian
objects that offer a glimpse of life in the Islamic world.
This book features some of the finest classical carpets from the
sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, all from the spectacular al-Sabah
Collection. Carpet and textile expert Friedrich Spuhler describes the
Collection in the context of the history of Islamic art and recounts the
stories behind individual carpets.
The book includes pictures of many carpets never before reproduced in
print, and one that may have been lost forever following the Iraqi
invasion of Kuwait in 1990.