Glass, Gilding and Grand Design: Art of Sasanian Iran (224-642) features some 80 precious works of silver, stucco, textiles and mosaics produced for the splendid court of one of the ancient Near East's last empires that was located in present-day Iran. Much diminished in size from its previous presentation of more than 200 luxury objects in Les Perses Sassanides, Fastes d'un Empire Oublié at the Cernuschi Museum in Paris, France (September 15-December 30, 2006), the exhibition, whose sumptuous works on view were obtained solely from American and European collections, attests to the diversity of Sasanian culture. Its craftsmen combined native Persian artistic traditions with those of ancient Greece. Themes covered in this show include royal and courtly art as well as the Sasanians' rich religious traditions.
"Glass, Gilding and Grand Design: Art of Sasanian Iran (224-642)" is on view from February 14 through May 20, 2007 at Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021-5088 (Telephone: 212-288-6400; Website). The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM with extended evening hours on Friday until 9:00 PM. Admission is $10.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors, $5.00 for students with valid identification card and free on Friday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. A recorded tour of the museum is included with paid admission.
This picture comes from one of the many special art exhibitions available to you during Spring and early Summer of 2007. To view the full list of shows, please see this page.
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From your Guide: Stan Parchin, Senior Correspondent for Museums and Special Exhibitions, is a specialist in ancient, late-medieval and Renaissance art and history, and a regular contributor to About Art History. You may read all of his Special Exhibition and Catalogue Reviews here.