Although Ernst Grube made the study of painting in the Muslim world a principal concern, he also dealt with other aspects of Islamic art in some depth. Over the last forty years he published a large number of studies dealing with specific materials: metal-work, stucco decoration, textiles, and especially pottery.
Of the twelve selected articles from these areas of Professor Grubes research published in this volume, six are concerned with pottery, one deals with Ilkhanid stucco work as represented in the mausoleum of the Shaykh Muhammad ibn Bakran, near Isfahan, and four deal with the decorative arts of the Timurid period. This last group is accompanied by an extensive bibliography on Timurid decorative arts which should be specially welcome as much of this material is difficult of access and much of it is in Russian.
All articles are offered here with both additional notes and a considerably enhanced number of illustrations which greatly adds to the interest and value of the original publications.
