312 pages | over 200 halftones and color plates | 9.57 x 9.65 | © 2026
Architecture: Architecture--Biography
Art: Middle Eastern, African, and Asian Art
History: General History
Table of Contents
FOREWORD Daniel Robbins 6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Melanie Gibson 7
1. BUILDING A HOUSE IN KENSINGTON 9
2. TRAVELS AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN 1857–77 25
I: Algeria, Spain, Turkey and Egypt 1857–68 26
II. Syria, Sicily and Spain 1873–77 58
3. MAKING A COLLECTION OF PERSIAN AND ARAB ART 87
4. COLLECTING TILES 139
5. BUILDING THE ARAB HALL 179
6. ‘MY ARAB HALL’ 243
a note about money and place names 262
APPENDIX I:
THE INSCRIPTIONS Hidaya Abbas 264
APPENDIX II:
LETTERS FROM FREDERIC LEIGHTON TO VAL PRINSEP 274
Notes 284
Bibliography 292
Selective Timeline 300
Image Credits 304
Index 305
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Melanie Gibson 7
1. BUILDING A HOUSE IN KENSINGTON 9
2. TRAVELS AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN 1857–77 25
I: Algeria, Spain, Turkey and Egypt 1857–68 26
II. Syria, Sicily and Spain 1873–77 58
3. MAKING A COLLECTION OF PERSIAN AND ARAB ART 87
4. COLLECTING TILES 139
5. BUILDING THE ARAB HALL 179
6. ‘MY ARAB HALL’ 243
a note about money and place names 262
APPENDIX I:
THE INSCRIPTIONS Hidaya Abbas 264
APPENDIX II:
LETTERS FROM FREDERIC LEIGHTON TO VAL PRINSEP 274
Notes 284
Bibliography 292
Selective Timeline 300
Image Credits 304
Index 305