Love and Devotion at The State Library

There’s plenty to love in Melbourne at the moment as the city plays host to a veritable smorgasbord of cultural events, and until July the State Library is joining in on the feast. Love and Devotion: From Persia and Beyond is a collation of the great love stories of Persia, chronicled in an international collection of ancient manuscripts.

Rare pieces from the world-renowned Bodleian Libraries (Oxford University) feature alongside the State Library’s own collection, telling tales of divine and human love in the pages of elaborate calligraphy and illuminations.

Dating back as early as the 11th century, the exhibition provides a rare insight into the culture and its infamous history of story telling. For those without a thousand nights to spare, this is a perfect glimpse of the fabled country and its rich past and can easily be accomplished in a spare hour.

Love and Devotion: From Persia and Beyond runs until July 1. Entry is free.

For more information visit: www.slv.vic.gov.au