Book cover with fighting animals; leather; lacquer painting; Total: Height: 19 cm; Width: 33 cm; arts and crafts; plant; animal; birds; clouds; mythical animals; Safawiden; The large 16th century book cover painted with lacquer; colors; gold and silver is one of the showpieces of the Islam collection in the; . It was created in a Persian court studio and is an example of the great importance of book art within Islamic culture. On the front and back of each book; a paradise-like landscape with blossoming trees; birds and fighting pairs of animals can be seen. The mythical animal creatures such as the phoenix; qilin and dragon; but also the cloud shapes and cranes in the sky betray the Chinese influence. The lacquer technique also comes from China. The lacquer binding; however; is a Persian invention and has been traceable since the late 15th century. It combines book painting with the art of bookbinding. The painting is continued on the flap that Islamic book bindings have. The binding becomes a picture here.