Arts of Islamic Lands: Selections from The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (2013–2014) January 26, 2013–December 11, 2014
Tile, Iranian world, 17th century, glazed fritware, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
Turban Ornament, India, 17th century, gold, emeralds, and diamonds, enameled, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
100 Mohur (Presentation Coin), India, 1638–39, gold, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
Lidded Cup and Tray, India, 17th century, gold with champlevé and painted enamels, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
Folio from a Qur’an Manuscript, North Africa, 9th–10th century, ink, colors, and gold on vellum, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
"Vine Scroll" Carpet, Iranian world, 16th–17th century, wool, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
Candlestick, Egypt or Syria, 14th century, brass inlaid with silver, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait.
Islamic masterworks from Kuwait’s renowned al-Sabah Collection come to the MFAH as part of a long-term collaboration with the cultural institution Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI). The privately held al-Sabah Collection is one of the greatest collections of Islamic art in the world, and the partnership initiates a historic exchange of objects, staff, and expertise.
Among the highlights showcased in this display are spectacular Mughal jewelry, illuminated manuscripts, exquisite ceramics, and intricately decorated ceiling panels. More than 60 examples from the 8th to 18th centuries are on view, made in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The collection also includes carpets, glass and metalwork, paintings, architectural fragments, scientific instruments, and works on paper.
This exhibition marks the first in a renewable, five-year agreement that enables the MFAH to present the glorious achievement of Islamic visual culture in a comprehensive display. The legendary al-Sabah Collection was founded by Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and his wife, Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah. The collection preserves and presents all aspects of Islamic art and comprises more than 30,000 pieces.
► In-Gallery Extra: Guide by Cell
Learn more about these important works of art directly from the curators. Use your cell phone as you tour the installation, and look for the “Guide by Cell” logos in the gallery. Enter each guide number to hear additional information recorded by the two guest curators: Giovanni Curatola, curator of exhibitions for The al-Sabah Collection; and Salam Kaoukji, curator of The al-Sabah Collection.