Islamic treasures come to Seoul

Glittering jewel accessories, beautiful craftworks made of glass and metal, wide carpets decorated with fancy patterns… all of these treasures that sound like they’ve been ripped from the pages of the well-known tales in One Thousand and One Nights, can be seen in Seoul. 

Museum-lovers are flocking to the National Museum of Korea for a special exhibition titled “Art from the Islamic Civilization,” proving the curiosity and high interest in Islamic art and culture with its long history, which have had a considerable influence in world art. 

On July 1, Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo Jinryong visited the museum with Princess of Kuwait Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah and Kuwaiti Minister of Information Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Sabah to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. 

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo Jinryong (left) examines a display at the “Art from the Islamic Civilization” exhibition with Kuwait’s Prince Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah and Minister of Information Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Sabah on July 1 at the National Museum of Korea. 

This exhibition is divided into two parts, with nine subcategories based on eras and themes so that people can better understand the art of the Islam world. 

The overall flow of Islamic art is introduced through a total of 367 artworks which are possessed by the House of Sabah, Kuwait’s royal family. The origins of displayed works range from Spain to China, from the eighth to the 18th century. 

The first four sections of the exhibition are “The Origin of Islamic Art, 8th-10th century” “Variety in Islamic Art, 10th-13th century,” “Expressive Maturity, 14th-15th century,” and “The Apogee of the Great Empire, 16th-18th century.”

The second part presents various artworks showing the three main characteristics of Islamic art -- calligraphy, arabesque, and geometric patterns -- in its sub-categorized sections titled ”Calligraphy in Islamic Art,” “The Arabesque in Islamic Art,” “Geometry in Islamic Art,” “The Jewelled Arts,“ and “The Figurative in Islamic Art.” 

Composite-bodied ceramic crenellation element, made in Iran in the 12th century (left). Wooden screen presumably made in Morocco in the late 14th century (right). 

 As the Qur’an is considered the most important value in Islamic culture, various displays of parchment folios from a manuscript of the Qur'an are displayed inside the exhibition venue. Transcribing of the Qur’an led to the development of calligraphy which made the Arabic script a major genre of Islamic art, creating various calligraphic styles such as Kufic and Thuluth scripts. High demand of boxes of various materials including metal, wood, and ceramics, for Qur’an storage also led to the development of craft art. 

 This wooden box for the Qur’an, presumably made in eastern Iran, 1344, out of wood and bronze, was originally made to store 30 Qur’an manuscripts. Each side of the box is decorated with vine-shaped patterns and carved with a passage from the Qur’an written in Thuluth script (photo courtesy of the National Museum of Korea). 
This wooden box for the Qur’an, presumably made in eastern Iran, 1344, out of wood and bronze, was originally made to store 30 Qur’an manuscripts. Each side of the box is decorated with vine-shaped patterns and carved with a passage from the Qur’an written in Thuluth script (photo courtesy of the National Museum of Korea).

Development of Islamic metalwork can be seen as early as artworks made in the Umayyad Caliphate (661-750), the first Islamic dynasty. Artworks made during the 14th and 15th centuries, when the Mamluks ruled Egypt and Syria, also show high-quality metal craftwork. 

One of the representative high quality metal works at that time, this brass-and-silver basin made in Egypt or Syria in the 14th century, seems to have been influenced by China. It is decorated with cloud-shaped silver inlays and belted with arabesque patterns. 

 The highlight of the exhibition can be seen at “The Jewelled Arts,” a subsection located in a separate space of the venue. This section shows the life of royal families and aristocrats of the Islam world. The high-quality jewel craftsmanship and artistic value of the displayed jewel accessories amaze everyone. Artworks including rings, perfume bottles, daggers and scabbards capture the eyes of visitors. 

 Gold necklace and pendant set, India, late 18th century, gold, emerald, diamond (photo courtesy of the National Museum of Korea). 
Gold necklace and pendant set, India, late 18th century, gold, emerald, diamond (photo courtesy of the National Museum of Korea).

In the ninth part “The Figurative in Islamic Art,” people can see various daily necessities and paintings that depict figuration of humans and animals. Generally, figurative representations of humans and animals are not permitted in Islamic art due to the religious belief which regards figurative expression as the authority of God. But this belief is applied to only public places such as mosques. One of the symbolic artworks in this regard is a painting of a princely couple. This painting is special in many ways when compared with other Islamic paintings; it is painted on silk and has empty space unlike other Islamic artworks which are usually filled with geometric and arabesque patterns. Experts say this painting is influenced by Chinese art. 

A princely couple in the company of attendants, presumably made in Central Asia, early 15th century, color-painted on silk. 

This exhibition, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Embassy of the State of Kuwait to Korea, is considered the largest Islamic art exhibition ever held in Korea. “The number of daily visitors has reached nearly 520 since July 1,” said Kwon Kang-mi of the National Museum of Korea. 

A ticket for the exhibition, which will last until October 20, costs 12,000 won for adults, 10,000 for teenagers, and 8,000 won for children. The museum is closed every Monday. It is open until 9 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday. More information about the exhibition is available at the homepage of the exhibition (www.islam2013.com) or the museum (www.museum.go.kr).