The Ballantyne Collection: Rugs and Carpets from Persia

Iran has been the artistic powerhouse of the Middle East for many centuries and its rugs and carpets have always been highly prized.
During the last century the country experienced a resurgence in this traditional art form in both silk and wool. It is with this new flowering that this book is concerned.
The work aims to show excellent examples of rugs and carpets of the region, set within their historical and cultural context, and how the history of Iran during the period is reflected in the carpets illustrated.

Leonard Harrow was born in London and studied Persian and Arabic at Edinburgh University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has worked and travelled extensively throughout the Middle East. During his time living in Iran he developed a particular interest in the country's rugs and carpets and their cultural setting.