Iraqi art is one of the richest art heritages in world and refers to all works of visual art originating from the geographical region of what is present day Iraq since ancient Mesopotamian periods. For centuries, the capital, Baghdad was the Medieval centre of the literary and artistic Arab world during the Abbasid Caliphate, in which Baghdad was the capital, but its artistic traditions suffered at the hands of the Mongol invaders in the 13th century. During other periods it has flourished, such as during the reign of Pir Budaq, or under Ottoman rule in the 16th century when Baghdad was known for its Ottoman miniature painting. In the 20th century, an art revival, which combined both tradition and modern techniques, produced many notable poets, painters and sculptors who contributed to the inventory of public artworks, especially in Baghdad. These artists are highly regarded in the Middle East, and some have earned international recognition. The Iraqi modern art movement had a profound influence on pan-Arab art generally.

Abu'l-Fath Pir Budaq more commonly known simply as Pir Budaq, son of Jahān Shāh of the Qara Qoyunlu dynasty, was governor of Shiraz (1456-1460) and of Baghdad (1460-66) where he introduced a period of political and economic stability. He is noted for developing a library of the finest manuscripts, for his patronage of the arts, for establishing Baghdad as an important centre of the arts and for reinvigorating the art of the book. He has been described as the greatest Turkmen patron of the arts.