The word Persian means “from Persia.” It derives from Persis, a region in southwestern Iran to which an ancient Iranian people migrated. The civilization is known for its rich artistic traditions, especially in literature, and this exhibition—the private collection of Hossein Afshar—contains carpets, textiles, manuscripts, paintings, ceramics, lacquer, metalwork, scientific instruments, and jeweled objects from the sixth to 19th centuries. Whether it’s Persian miniatures or monumental palace carpets, the aesthetic is one of graceful delicacy, intricacy, and symbolism. —L.J.