“It’s a world that’s designed to please the eye and please the soul.” – Maryam Ekhtiar

This episode, hear from Maryam Ekhtiar, Patti Cadby Birch Curator in the Department of Islamic Art, and Leili Anvar, Professor of Persian language and literature at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations.

Featured artwork: “Conference of the Birds” from Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), ca. 1600

Explore more perspectives on the Conference of the Birds

See more from Spotlight

Spotlight features new perspectives on a single work from The Met collection each. Familiar and celebrated works serve as the focal point for dialogue—posing questions, building understanding, and conveying how the presence of the work in the Museum has altered, limited, or enhanced the work’s interpretation. The series explores different ways of knowing, and relates to themes beyond art and museums through the expertise and personal experience of invited guests.