A large part of this volume is devoted to 14th to 19th century Shahnamah paintings in the Khalili Collection. Included are a folio from the Great Mongol Shahnamah, 10 folios from the celebrated manuscript painted by Shah Tahmasp, 3 folios from the Shahnamah of Shah Isma'il, and two complete Safavid copies which were once in the Mugfhal royal library. Another section of the volume is devoted to illustrations of works of history, including two folios from Ibrahim Sultan's Zafarnamah, and two from a dispersed copy of the history of Shah Isma'il Safavi.

Dr Eleanor Sims is the Editor of Islamic Art for the East-West Foundation, New York, and a specialist in Persian painting.

Manijeh Bayani received her degree in art and archaeology from Tehran University. A specialist in Arabic and Persian epigraphy, Manijeh has made important contributions to most of the catalogues in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art series.

Tim Stanley is Senior Curator for the Middle Eastern collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. A member of the editorial board of the Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, Tim is a specialist in Islamic manuscript production, calligraphy and the decorative arts and has a longstanding interest in Ottoman culture.