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Virtual Museum - Discover Islamic Art
This collaboration brings together a representative selection of Islamic objects, monuments and historical sites from Portugal, Spain and Italy on the northern shores of the Mediterranean; Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt on the southern shores; and Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Syria and Turkey on the eastern coast.
Relevant Islamic collections from museums in Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom complete the virtual museum’s collections. All these artefacts, monuments and sites cover the various Islamic dynasties and cultures of the Mediterranean region spanning some 1,280 years from 634 when the Muslim Arab armies first entered the Levant, to the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. Although the Islamic world and its artistic traditions stretch from Kashghar in China to Dakar in Senegal, this project is focusing on the countries surrounding the Mediterranean basin to tell the story of Islamic art.
Two practical factors determine this choice. The first is a financial one: that being the generosity of the European Union, which is funding this project through its Euromed Heritage programme. The second factor is historical: that being the position of the Mediterranean at the centre stage of Islamic history, and the interdependence of its shores economically and culturally throughout this history. The consortium’s objectives are to bring together these inter-related collections, monuments and sites, exploiting the wealth of scholarship within the participating institutions. The exploration of the history and art of Islam in the Mediterranean aims to create a more complete knowledge of the historical relationship between Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and to make this information accessible to the general public in the countries represented in the consortium and beyond. The consortium’s aim is to promote deeper understanding between the peoples of Europe and their Muslim communities and the Islamic world on their doorsteps, and ultimately to celebrate the contribution of Islamic civilisation to world culture and art.
Permanent Collection / Egypt
Pendant
Hegira 5th century / AD 11th century, Fatimid / Gold embellished with enamel / Museum of Islamic Art / Cairo, Egypt
Women used all kinds and shapes of jewelery, such as bracelets, rings, earrings, brooches and pendants. Techniques in ornamentation included engraving, incising, piercing and enamel inlay. This piece is good example of decorative enamel inlay.
Ewer and Vase
Photo left: Ewer / Hegira 709–41 / AD 1309–40, Mamluk / Copper inlaid with silver / Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
The importance of this ewer stems from its fine decoration. It bears the name of Amir Tabtaq, a follower of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad, and a cup blazon, the emblem of his post as cupbearer. Ewers came to Egypt and Iraq from Persia and took many shapes. They were used in palaces and houses for bathing, hand-washing and obligatory ablutions.
Photo right: Vase / Hegira 8th century / AD 14th century, Mamluk / Brass inlaid with gold and silver / Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
This brass vase, decorated with vegetal and geometrical motifs, birds, and epigraphic inscriptions, bears the name of its owner, Amir Toghostomor, the Sultan’s cupbearer, and his blazon composed of an eagle with a cup underneath. Such masterpieces were widespread in the Mamluk period.
Basin
Hegira 8th century / AD 14th century, Mamluk / Copper inlaid with silver / Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
A basin would form a pair with a ewer as an indispensable item in hand-washing and cleanliness in general. This basin, inlaid with silver, bears the blazon of its owner, the cupbearer Amir Tabtaq.
Key for the Ka’ba
Hegira 765 / AD 1363, Mamluk / Copper inlaid with silver / Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
Sultans and amirs sent gifts to the holy sites in Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. This key was a gift from Sultan Sha’ban to the Ka’ba. It is decorated with verses from the Qur’an, ornamentation and inscriptions. A kiswa (covering) for the Ka’ba was sent with the key every year in the pilgrimage season.
Incense burner
Hegira 8th century / AD 14th century, Mamluk / Copper inlaid with gold and silver / Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
This inlaid burner is made up of two halves, one of which contains the fire bowl, while the other is perforated to allow the incense to be diffused. Incense was used in Muslim society for cleanliness and purification in houses and public establishments. Incense was made of musk, sandalwood and camphor.
Coin (dinar)
Hegira 3rd century / AD 9th century, Tulunid / Gold cast in a mould / Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
Coin minting as a sign of power and sovereignty was practiced under the Muslim caliphs and sultans, who put their names on the coins. This piece bears the name of the Abbasid caliph and under it we find the name of Ahmad ibn Tulun, the ruler of Egypt.
See the rest of on-line Permanent Collection / Egypt in the virtual museum Discover Islamic Art: http://www.discoverislamicart.org/pc_item_list.php?begin=40&country=eg
Source: http://www.discoverislamicart.org/
Text: Part of the Mission statement. Read the rest: http://www.discoverislamicart.org/isl_missionstatement.php
28.03.11 - 07:03:54
How much are these mags please? miller’s antiques