The flowering of Persian painting and the visual arts of Iran's Qajar period (1779-1925) is examined in this work, which focuses on the growth of a remarkable tradition of life-size figural painting, virtually unseen in the Islamic world. Historic manuscripts, lacquer works, calligraphies and enamels further illuminate the subject. Essays in the book explore the historical and social context of the period, and detailed entries describe and interpret a wide variety of paintings and artifacts. The illustrations include many unseen masterpieces from museums such as the Hermitage and private collections.