International Day of Islamic Art
The International Day of Islamic Art was proclaimed at the 40th session of the UNESCO General Conference in 2019 and is held annually on 18th of November. Its purpose is to raise knowledge about the past and modern artistic expression of Islam, as well as about the contribution of culture to civilization through Islamic art.
The celebration of this day is also one of the ways to strengthen tolerance between peoples and contribute to cultural rapprochement, which is possible thanks to the power of art.
This day is also intended to celebrate the past and present artistic expressions of Islamic art and to celebrate their contribution to culture around the world.
Let's mention a few major museums that have large collections of Islamic works of art.
Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Egypt)
The Museum of Islamic Art has one of the largest collections of Islamic art. There are more than 4,000 artifacts from all over the Islamic world.
The museum also holds more than 100,000 works of art from all periods of Islamic civilization. The collection includes unique manuscripts of the Quran, as well as calligraphic works written in silver ink and on pages with decorated frames. There are also unique wood products and works of art made of crystal, metal, wood, glass and textiles.
The works on display in the museum are classified according to the Umayyad, Abbasid, Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman periods in one wing, while the other is divided into themes of science, astronomy, calligraphy, coins and textiles of different periods.
The building itself is also a work of art, designed by Italian architect Alfonso Maniscalco in neo-Mameluke style. The museum was built in 1902, and the National Library is located on the top floor.
Museum of Islamic Civilization (UAE)
The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, with more than 5,000 exhibits, has one of the largest collections of Islamic art in the world. Items in the museum's collection include calligraphy, carvings, ceramics, manuscripts and scientific instruments.
The museum was opened in 2008. It is easy to recognize due to its size and distinctive golden dome.
The museum exhibits its collections in seven thematic galleries, six of which are dedicated to its permanent collection. Some halls are dedicated to the history of Islam, in which unique copies of the Quran are presented, as well as the Kiswa used to cover the Kaaba in Makkah. There are also early black-and-white pictures showing people from Sharjah preparing to go to Hajj.
Other halls of the museum are dedicated to Islamic science, technology and innovation, showing early clocks, navigation tools and weapons.
Aga Khan Museum in Toronto (Canada)
The Aga Khan Museum is the first museum in the Western world dedicated to Islamic art. There are more than 1,000 unique items in the hall, including artifacts from the private collections of the Aga Khan IV, the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailism, the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, as well as items from the collection of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.
His collection includes unique manuscripts of different artistic styles and works reflecting more than 10 centuries of human history. Among the most valuable items in the collection is the earliest known copy of Ibn Sina's "Qanun fil-Tibb" (Canon of Medicine), dating from 1052, as well as a page from the famous Blue Quran of the 9th century.
Founded in 2014, the museum was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki.
Museum of Islamic Art of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Located in the heart of the tourist district of Kuala Lumpur, the Museum of Islamic Art Malaysia holds more than 7000 exhibits in 12 halls.
The museum, which is considered the largest in Southeast Asia, hosts samples of Islamic architecture, manuscripts of the Quran, traditional jewelry, ceramics and textiles.
It also has an extensive educational program for both children and adults, with seminars and courses on Islamic calligraphy.
PergamonMuseum in Berlin (Germany)
The PergamonMuseum, located in the historical center of Berlin, is one of the most visited art museums in Germany. The museum includes three wings, two of which are the Museum of the Middle East and the Museum of Islamic Art.
The latter presents works of art created in the period from the 8th to the 19th centuries in countries from Spain to the Middle East and India. One of the most important objects in his collection is the facade of Mshatta, which was once part of the 8th-century Umayyad residential palace of Qasr Mshatta, an unfinished palace in desert located in modern Jordan. The facade was a gift from the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II to Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.
Aleppo Hall is one of the notable attractions of the museum. It presents the living room of the house of a prosperous figure in Aleppo during the Ottoman Empire. In the room, the walls of wood and metal are decorated with decorative and painted panels consisting of floral and geometric compositions based on illustrations of Islamic books.
The museum is currently under restoration. The opening is expected on 30th of November 2021.
Other famous museums
There are a number of other well-known collections of Islamic art around the world, including collections in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art in Istanbul, the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, as well as museums in Makkah, such as the Al-Zaher Palace Museum. All contain items from different periods of Islamic history, highlighting her contribution to artistic styles around the world.
Source of information:
http://www.thenationalnews.com
The celebration of this day is also one of the ways to strengthen tolerance between peoples and contribute to cultural rapprochement, which is possible thanks to the power of art.
This day is also intended to celebrate the past and present artistic expressions of Islamic art and to celebrate their contribution to culture around the world.
Let's mention a few major museums that have large collections of Islamic works of art.
Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Egypt)
The Museum of Islamic Art has one of the largest collections of Islamic art. There are more than 4,000 artifacts from all over the Islamic world.
The museum also holds more than 100,000 works of art from all periods of Islamic civilization. The collection includes unique manuscripts of the Quran, as well as calligraphic works written in silver ink and on pages with decorated frames. There are also unique wood products and works of art made of crystal, metal, wood, glass and textiles.
The works on display in the museum are classified according to the Umayyad, Abbasid, Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman periods in one wing, while the other is divided into themes of science, astronomy, calligraphy, coins and textiles of different periods.
The building itself is also a work of art, designed by Italian architect Alfonso Maniscalco in neo-Mameluke style. The museum was built in 1902, and the National Library is located on the top floor.
Museum of Islamic Civilization (UAE)
The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, with more than 5,000 exhibits, has one of the largest collections of Islamic art in the world. Items in the museum's collection include calligraphy, carvings, ceramics, manuscripts and scientific instruments.
The museum was opened in 2008. It is easy to recognize due to its size and distinctive golden dome.
The museum exhibits its collections in seven thematic galleries, six of which are dedicated to its permanent collection. Some halls are dedicated to the history of Islam, in which unique copies of the Quran are presented, as well as the Kiswa used to cover the Kaaba in Makkah. There are also early black-and-white pictures showing people from Sharjah preparing to go to Hajj.
Other halls of the museum are dedicated to Islamic science, technology and innovation, showing early clocks, navigation tools and weapons.
Aga Khan Museum in Toronto (Canada)
The Aga Khan Museum is the first museum in the Western world dedicated to Islamic art. There are more than 1,000 unique items in the hall, including artifacts from the private collections of the Aga Khan IV, the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailism, the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, as well as items from the collection of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.
His collection includes unique manuscripts of different artistic styles and works reflecting more than 10 centuries of human history. Among the most valuable items in the collection is the earliest known copy of Ibn Sina's "Qanun fil-Tibb" (Canon of Medicine), dating from 1052, as well as a page from the famous Blue Quran of the 9th century.
Founded in 2014, the museum was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki.
Museum of Islamic Art of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Located in the heart of the tourist district of Kuala Lumpur, the Museum of Islamic Art Malaysia holds more than 7000 exhibits in 12 halls.
The museum, which is considered the largest in Southeast Asia, hosts samples of Islamic architecture, manuscripts of the Quran, traditional jewelry, ceramics and textiles.
It also has an extensive educational program for both children and adults, with seminars and courses on Islamic calligraphy.
PergamonMuseum in Berlin (Germany)
The PergamonMuseum, located in the historical center of Berlin, is one of the most visited art museums in Germany. The museum includes three wings, two of which are the Museum of the Middle East and the Museum of Islamic Art.
The latter presents works of art created in the period from the 8th to the 19th centuries in countries from Spain to the Middle East and India. One of the most important objects in his collection is the facade of Mshatta, which was once part of the 8th-century Umayyad residential palace of Qasr Mshatta, an unfinished palace in desert located in modern Jordan. The facade was a gift from the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II to Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.
Aleppo Hall is one of the notable attractions of the museum. It presents the living room of the house of a prosperous figure in Aleppo during the Ottoman Empire. In the room, the walls of wood and metal are decorated with decorative and painted panels consisting of floral and geometric compositions based on illustrations of Islamic books.
The museum is currently under restoration. The opening is expected on 30th of November 2021.
Other famous museums
There are a number of other well-known collections of Islamic art around the world, including collections in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art in Istanbul, the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, as well as museums in Makkah, such as the Al-Zaher Palace Museum. All contain items from different periods of Islamic history, highlighting her contribution to artistic styles around the world.
Source of information:
http://www.thenationalnews.com