Before I left London on the last leg of my trip to Europe (July-Aug, 2009), I got a chance to see the Victoria & Albert Museum. It was breathtaking. I actually over-dosed from too much beauty. One extraordinary, beautiful creation after another, spanning centuries and many civilizations. Including… the Safavids, Afshars and Qajars! The museum has set aside a special section for some fine works of art from that period (circa 1500-1925). The centerpiece was a huge Ardebil carpet from 1539. I overheard a guide saying the rug was sold to the British to raise money to pay the cost of repairing earthquake damage to the mosque that owned it (whatever!). The carpet is so unique and delicate that the lights above it go on only for 20 minutes every hour. The kaftans were great! But the Iranian offerings were just a small part of the museum. ” Fear and Fantasy in Contemporary Design” by mostly young Dutch artists is full of pleasantly weird objects. There’s modern art. And I loved the statues (especially Helen)… cheghad haal kardam. If you’re in London, don’t miss it. 12345 next › last » 
