Bookbinding (Jild-i kitab)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite bookbinding, known as *Jild-i kitab* ( cover), hails from the Islamic world of the 17th–18th century. Crafted by an unknown artist, it once protected a codex—a bound manuscript likely containing religious texts, poetry, or scholarly works central to Islamic intellectual life. Measuring just 8 3/16 x 5 1/8 inches, its compact size made it portable for personal devotion or study, reflecting the reverence for books in Persian, Ottoman, or Mughal traditions. The medium of leather, meticulously tooled and gilded, showcases masterful Islamic decorative arts. Tooling involved pressing...