Download or read book Art, Allegory and the Rise of Shi'ism in Iran, 1487-1565 written by Chad Kia and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Transforming our understanding of Persian art, this impressive interdisciplinary text decodes some of the world's most exquisite medieval paintings. It reveals the hidden meaning behind enigmatic figures and scenes that have puzzled modern scholars, focusing on five 'miniature' paintings. Chad Kia shows how the cryptic elements in these works of art from Timurid Persia conveyed the mystical teachings of Sufi poets like Rumi, Attar and Jami, and heralded one of the most significant events in the history of Islam: the takeover by the Safavids in 1501 and the conversion of Iran to Shiism.