Khalili Collections Explained

Khalili Collections
Collection Size:35,000
Founder:Nasser D. Khalili

The Khalili Collections are eight distinct art collections assembled by Nasser D. Khalili over five decades.[1] Together, the collections include some 35,000 works of art,[2] and each is considered among the most important in its field.[3]

Among these are the largest private collection of Islamic art, with 28,000 items including 2,000 ceramics and 600 items of jewellery. A separate collection includes around 5,000 objects relating to the Hajj, spanning from the 7th century AD to the present day. From Japan, there are 1,600 items of Meiji era decorative art and another collection of more than 450 kimono, covering a 300-year period. The most comprehensive private collection of enamels, with over 1,300 items, includes items from China, Japan, Europe and Islamic lands. The eight collections also include 100 flatweave textiles from southern Sweden, 100 examples of Spanish damascened metalwork (i.e. with metal inlaid into other metal), and 48 Aramaic documents from 4th century-BC Bactria. These various collections show two themes that commonly motivate private collections: collecting examples of the highest artistic merit and forming complete series.[4]

One hundred catalogues and monographs describing the collections are being published. There have been numerous public exhibitions drawn exclusively from the collections, as well as loans of items to heritage institutions.

Collections

Islamic Art (700–2000)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. The Khalili Collections include one of the world's most comprehensive collections of Islamic art[5] [6] and the largest in private hands.[7] [8] [9] The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art includes 28,000 objects documenting arts from Islamic lands over a period of almost 1400 years. It was described in 1998 as "one of the largest and most representative collections of Quranic manuscripts in the world"[10] and is the largest private collection.[11] [12] Khalili is motivated by a belief that Islamic art is the most beautiful, yet has been underappreciated by the wider world. The collection has been described as presenting art works of interest to Westerners without abstracting them away from the aesthetic standards of Islamic culture. Khalili defines Islamic art as "art produced by Muslim artists for Muslim patrons", and only a minority of the items have an explicitly religious purpose.

In addition to rare and illustrated manuscripts, the collection includes album and miniature paintings,[13] lacquer,[14] ceramics,[15] glass and rock crystal,[16] metalwork,[17] arms and armour,[18] jewellery,[19] carpets and textiles,[20] over 15,000 coins[21] and architectural elements.[22] The ceramic collection, numbering around 2,000 items, has been described as particularly strong in pottery of the Timurid era and also pottery of pre-Mongol Bamiyan.[23] The jewellery collection includes more than 600 rings, many purely decorative but some with religious inscriptions or having a secular function, such as signet rings.[24] Around two hundred objects relate to medieval Islamic science and medicine, including astronomical instruments for orienting towards Mecca, scales and weights, and supposedly magical items intended for medical use.[25]

This collection was the basis in 2008 for the first comprehensive exhibition of Islamic art to be staged in the Middle East, at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. This was also the largest exhibition of Islamic art held anywhere up to that date. Exhibitions drawing exclusively from the collection have been held at Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam as well as at many other museums and institutions worldwide.

The collection includes folios from manuscripts with Persian miniatures, including the Great Mongol Shahnameh (c. 1330s), ten folios from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp (c. 1520),[26] and 59 folios from the oldest manuscript of the Jami al-tawarikh (1314), Rashid-al-Din’s world history.[27] There is also a 13th-century saddle from the era of Genghis Khan,[28] and an astrolabe commissioned by Shah Jahan (1648–58).[29]

The Wall Street Journal has said that it is the greatest collection of Islamic Art in existence. According to Edward Gibbs, Chairman of Middle East and India at Sotheby's, it is the best such collection in private hands.

Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage (700–2000)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage. Alongside the Topkapı Palace museum, the collection is considered the largest and most significant group of objects relating to the cultural history of the Hajj.[30] It holds objects and archival documents from all over the Islamic world, from the Umayyad period to the 21st century. It includes over 300 textiles and many other objects such as coins, medals, miniatures, manuscripts and photographs relating to Mecca and Medina. In total, the collection contains approximately 5,000 objects.[31] Among them are a mahmal (AH 1067 (AD 1656–7)) commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet IV,[32] sitaras (textile coverings) for the door of the Kaaba,[33] for the mosque of the Prophet in Medina, and for the Station of Abraham, the earliest known accurate eyewitness account of Mecca[34] and some of the earliest photographs taken of Mecca and the Hajj, by Mohammed Sadiq Bey.[35]

Aramaic Documents (353BC–324BC)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Aramaic Documents. The collection comprises 48 historically significant Aramaic documents from Ancient Bactria, consisting of mainly letters and accounts related to the court of the satrap of Bactria. Together these letters and accounts make up the oldest known correspondence of the administration of Bactria and Sogdiana.[36] The documents, written in Official Aramaic, were likely to originate from the historical city of Balkh and all are dated within a period of less than 30 years, between 353 BC to 324 BC.[37] The newest of the documents was written during Alexander the Great’s early reign in the region, using the name ‘Alexandros’ (‘Iksndrs’) by which he later became known.[38]

Japanese Art of the Meiji Period (1868–1912)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Japanese Art. The collection of Meiji decorative arts is only comparable in terms of quality to the collection of the Japanese Imperial family. It comprises over 1,600 pieces, including metalwork, enamels, lacquer, textiles and ceramics.[39] The Meiji period saw a cultural revolution in Japan where traditional tastes were met with international ones. Since the beginning of Emperor Meiji’s reign in Japan, European and international collectors have sought pieces of Japanese art from this era. Many works in the collections were produced by Imperial Court artists and were exhibited at the Great Exhibitions of the late 19th century.[40] These imperial court artists include Shibata Zeshin,[41] Namikawa Yasuyuki,[42] Makuzu Kozan,[43] Yabu Meizan, Kano Natsuo,[44] Suzuki Chokichi,[45] and Shirayama Shosai.[46]

Exhibitions drawing exclusively from the collection have been held at the British Museum, Israel Museum, Van Gogh Museum, Portland Museum, Moscow Kremlin Museums, and at many other museums and institutions worldwide.

Japanese Kimono (1700–2000)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Kimono.

The collection represents three hundred years of the Japanese textile industry and contains over 450 garments. The garments have been worn to demonstrate gender, age, status and wealth throughout Japan's history. The core of the collection is made up of kimono from the Edo (1603–1868), Meiji (1868–1912), Taisho (1912–1926) and early Showa (1926–1989) eras.[47] [48]

Swedish Textiles (1700–1900)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Swedish Textiles. The collection consists mostly of textile panels, cushion and bed covers from the Scania region of southern Sweden, dating in the main from a hundred-year-old period of the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries. The majority of the pieces in the collection were made for wedding ceremonies in the region. While they played a part in the ceremonies, they were also a reflection of the artistry and skill of the weaver. Their designs often consist of symbolic illustrations of fertility and long life. The entire collection is made up of 100 pieces. In 2008 it was described as "the only extensive collection of Swedish flatweaves outside the country".[49]

Exhibitions drawing exclusively from the collection have been held at the Swedish Cultural Institute in Paris and Boston University Art Gallery.

Spanish Damascene Metalwork (1850–1900)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Spanish Metalwork. One of the largest collections of its kind, the Spanish Metalwork collection pays homage to the Zuloaga family, which played a major part in the preservation of damascening in Spain.[50] The collection contains pieces created by Plácido Zuloaga between 1834 and 1910. Some of the pieces, such as a giant iron cassone, were originally acquired by the 19th-century English collector, Alfred Morrison.[51] The entire collection comprises over 100 pieces,[52] 22 of which are signed by Plácido Zuloaga.[51]

At the opening of the Khalili Zuloaga exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, its then director Alan Borg said it was "a landmark in the study of 19th century Spanish decorative art".[53] Other exhibitions also drawing exclusively from the collection have been held at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum and Alhambra Palace in Granada.

Enamels of the World (1700–2000)

See main article: Khalili Collection of Enamels of the World. The collection consists of over 1300 pieces and showcases the global significance and evolution of enamelling, covering a 300-year period.[54] It is the most comprehensive private collection of its kind. The uniqueness of the collection lies in its geographic, artistic and historical range, including pieces from China, Japan, Islamic countries and Europe.[55] Objects include the enamelled chariot belonging to the Indian Maharaja of Bhavnagar[56] and a painted enamel throne table with the seal mark of the 18th century Chinese Qianlong emperor.[57] Other objects include presentation chargers, jewellery, miniatures and ornamental pieces.

At the 2009–10 Enamels of the world exhibition held at the State Hermitage Museum, its director Mikhail Piotrovsky said "Unique in its scope, the Collection reveals the remarkable technical achievements of the enamellers and encourages a greater awareness of the range of their activity."

Publications

The Khalili Collections are represented in 70 publications, including exhibition catalogues, with work in progress to extend this to 100. The total costs associated with the conservation, research, scholarship and publication of the collections are estimated to be in the tens of millions of pounds.[58]

Islamic art

Studies in the Khalili Collection – academic monographs

Aramaic documents

Japanese art of the Meiji period

Japanese kimono

Swedish textile art

Spanish damascene metalwork

Enamels of the world

Exhibitions

The following exhibitions were drawn exclusively from the Khalili Collections.[59]

Islamic art

This collection was the basis in 2008 for the first comprehensive exhibition of Islamic art to be staged in the Middle East, at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. This was also the largest exhibition of Islamic art held anywhere up to that date. Exhibitions drawing exclusively from the collection have been held at Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam as well as at many other museums and institutions worldwide.

Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art from the Khalili Collection

Marvels of the East: Indian Paintings of the Mughal Period from the Khalili Collection

Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art from the Khalili Collection

Ornements de la Perse: Islamic Patterns in 19th Century Europe

Empire of the Sultans: Ottoman Art from the Khalili Collection

The Arts of Islam: Treasures from the Nasser D. Khalili Collection

Passion for Perfection: Islamic Art from the Khalili Collection

Japanese art

Japanese Imperial Craftsmen: Meiji Art from the Khalili Collection

Treasures of Imperial Japan: Ceramics from the Khalili Collection

Shibata Zeshin: Masterpieces of Japanese Lacquer from the Khalili Collection

Splendors of Meiji: Treasures of Imperial Japan

Shibata Zeshin: Masterpieces of Japanese Lacquer from the Khalili Collection

Splendors of Imperial Japan: Arts of the Meiji Period from the Khalili Collection

Splendors of Imperial Japan: Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection

Wonders of Imperial Japan: Meiji Art from the Khalili Collection

Meiji-Kunst & Japonismus: Aus der Sammlung Khalili

Beyond Imagination: Treasures of Imperial Japan from The Khalili Collection, 19th to early 20th century

Spanish damascene metalwork

Plácido Zuloaga: Spanish Treasures from The Khalili Collection

El Arte y Tradición de los Zuloaga: Damasquinado Español de la Colección Khalili

Plácido Zuloaga: Meisterwerke in gold, silber und eisen damaszener–schmiedekunst aus der Khalili-Sammlung

Metal Magic: Spanish Treasures from the Khalili Collection

Swedish Textiles

Swedish Textile Art: The Khalili Collection

Textiles de Scanie des XVIII et XIX Siècles dans la Collection Khalili

A Monument to Love: Swedish Marriage Textiles from the Khalili Collection

Enamels of the world

Enamels of the World 1700–2000 from the Khalili Collection

Loans to museums and galleries

The collections have also loaned items for display in many countries.

Earthly Beauty, Heavenly Art: The Art of Islam, an exhibition of objects from the Islamic collection and the State Hermitage Museum was seen at

The Khalili Collections were the largest lender to the exhibition at the British Museum from January to April 2012. This was the first major exhibition on the subject of the Hajj[61] [62] and its success inspired subsequent exhibitions at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, and the Arab World Institute in Paris which also drew from the Khalili Collections.[63] [64] [59]

Digitisation

Since 2019, the Khalili Collections have partnered with Wikimedia UK to share images of art works and improve Wikipedia articles.[65] The collections have also provided images and text for Google Arts & Culture[66] and Europeana.[67] For the 2023 video game Assassin's Creed Mirage, the Khalili Collections were one of four partner institutions providing images for the game's educational database. An astrolabe and a statuette of a camel and rider were among the objects used to illustrate the game's setting of 9th century Baghdad.[68] [69]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Renowned collector Nasser Khalili revealed as buyer of 'lost' monumental Meiji vase as he reunites it with original set. Roland. Arkell. Antiques Trade Gazette. 1 March 2019. 30 September 2019.
  2. Web site: The Khalili Family Trust Collections Online British Museum. 2020-06-05. britishmuseum.org.
  3. Web site: The Khalili Collections major contributor to "Longing for Mecca" exhibition at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam. 16 April 2019. UNESCO. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 30 September 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220407140326/http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/the_khalili_collections_major_contributor_to_longing_for/. 7 April 2022.
  4. Book: Ryan, Louise. Transcending boundaries: The arts of Islam: Treasures from the Nassar D. Khalili collection (Thesis). University of Western Sydney. 2015. 82–87. .
  5. News: The British Museum's Pilgrimage. McKie. Andrew. 27 January 2012. Wall Street Journal. 10 September 2019. en-US. 0099-9660.
  6. News: Iranian Student With $750 Turns Billionaire Made by Islamic Art. Green. William. 30 March 2010. Bloomberg. 10 September 2019.
  7. News: Healing the world with art. Gayford. Martin. 16 April 2004. The Independent. 10 September 2019.
  8. News: A leap of faith. Moore. Susan. 12 May 2012. Financial Times. 10 September 2019.
  9. Web site: BBC World Service – Arts & Culture - Khalili Collection: Picture gallery. 14 December 2010. www.bbc.co.uk. en-GB. 30 September 2019.
  10. Irwin. Robert. November 1998. Review: Calligraphic Significances: Catalogues of the Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. Taylor & Francis. 25. 2. 355–361. 40662688.
  11. Web site: The Abbasid Tradition: Qur'ans of the 8th to the 10th centuries AD. Khalili Collections. en-US. 10 September 2019.
  12. Book: The Abbasid Tradition Qur'ans of the 8th And 10th Centuries Ad.. 2005. I B Tauris & Co Ltd. Deroche, Francois.. 9781874780519. 954219022.
  13. Web site: Paintings from India. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  14. Web site: Lacquer of the Islamic Lands (Part One and Part Two). Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  15. Web site: Cobalt and Lustre: The first centuries of Islamic pottery. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  16. Web site: Glass: From Sasanian antecedents to European imitations. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  17. Web site: Brasses, Bronze & Silver of the Islamic Lands. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  18. Web site: The Arts of War: Arms and Armour of the 7th to 19th centuries. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  19. Web site: Gems and Jewels of Mughal India. Jewelled and enamelled objects from the 16th to 20th centuries. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  20. Web site: Textiles, Carpets and Costumes. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  21. Web site: Dinars and Dirhams. Coins of the Islamic lands. The early period (Part One). Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  22. Web site: Monuments and Memorials. Carvings and tile work from the Islamic world. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  23. Baker. Phil. December 1995. Khalili's collection. The Art Book. en. 2. 4. 8. 10.1111/j.1467-8357.1995.tb00290.x. 1368-6267.
  24. Web site: Ornament and Amulet: Rings of the Islamic Lands. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  25. Web site: Science, Tools & Magic: (Part One) Body and Spirit, Mapping the Universe; (Part Two) Mundane Worlds. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  26. Web site: History and epic paintings from Iran and Turkey (Part One). Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  27. Web site: Islamic Art The Jami' al-Tawarikh of Rashid al-Din. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  28. Web site: Islamic Art Saddle Fittings and Horse Trappings. Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  29. Book: Sarma, Sreeramula Rajeswara . Astrolabes in Medieval Cultures . BRILL . 2019 . 978-90-04-38786-7 . Rodríguez-Arribas . Josefina . 198–262 . en . A Monumental Astrolabe Made for Shāh Jahān and Later Reworked with Sanskrit Legends . Burnett . Charles . Ackermann . Silke . Szpiech . Ryan . https://books.google.com/books?id=WZGFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA198.
  30. Book: Scotland, Patricia. Holy Makkah: a Celebration of Unity. FIRST. 2017. 9780995728141. London. Foreword. Patricia Scotland.
  31. Web site: Hajj and The Arts of Pilgrimage. 2022-02-02. Khalili Collections. en-US.
  32. Web site: Hajj and The Arts of Pilgrimage A Complete Cover.... Khalili Collections. en-US. 17 September 2019.
  33. Web site: The sacred textiles of Mecca. Hajj. British Museum. en-GB. 30 September 2019.
  34. Web site: Islamic Art Panoramic View of Mecca. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  35. Web site: Photographic views of Hajj, by Muhammad Sadiq Bey. Khan. Qaisra. Discover Islamic Art. Museum With No Frontiers. 30 September 2019.
  36. Book: Aramaic documents from ancient Bactria (fourth century BCE.) from the Khalili collections. Naveh. Joseph. Shaked. Shaul. Khalili Family Trust. 2012. 978-1874780748. London. x. 818222949.
  37. Book: Aramaic documents from ancient Bactria (fourth century BCE.) from the Khalili collections. Naveh. Joseph. Shaked. Shaul. Khalili Family Trust. 2012. 978-1874780748. London. 18. 818222949.
  38. Web site: Aramaic Documents A Long List of Supplies.... 2016. Khalili Collections. en-US. 10 September 2019.
  39. Web site: Japanese Art of the Meiji Period. Khalili Collections. en-US. 10 September 2019.
  40. Book: Earle, Joe. Splendors of Meiji : treasures of imperial Japan : masterpieces from the Khalili Collection. Broughton International Inc. 1999. 1874780137. St. Petersburg, Fla.. 10. 42476594.
  41. Web site: Shibata Zeshin, Masterpieces of Japanese lacquer from the Khalili Collection. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  42. Web site: MEIJI NO TAKARA - Treasures of Imperial Japan; Enamel. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  43. Web site: Treasures of Imperial Japan, Ceramics from the Khalili Collection. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  44. Web site: MEIJI NO TAKARA - Treasures of Imperial Japan; Metalwork Parts One & Two. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  45. Web site: Japanese Art of the Meiji Period Incense Burner.... Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  46. Web site: MEIJI NO TAKARA - Treasures of Imperial Japan; Lacquer Part One. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  47. Web site: Khalili Collections Kimono. Khalili Collections. en-US. 10 September 2019.
  48. Book: Kimono : the art and evolution of Japanese fashion : the Khalili collections. 9780500518021. London. 917375803. Jackson. Anna. 2015.
  49. Web site: The collection is a symphony. Moore. Susan. 17 March 2008. Financial Times. en-GB. 30 September 2019.
  50. Web site: Metal Magic: Spanish Treasures from the Khalili Collection, The Auberge de Provence, Valetta, Malta. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  51. Web site: Spanish Damascene Metalwork. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  52. [Alan Borg|Borg, Alan]
  53. Web site: Comments & Reviews. December 2009. nasserdkhalili.com. en-GB. 10 September 2019.
  54. Web site: Enamels Of The World. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  55. Web site: Enamels of the World – 1700–2000. Khalili Collections. en-US. 10 September 2019.
  56. Web site: Enamels of the World Landau Carriage. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  57. Web site: Enamels of the World Throne Table. Khalili Collections. en-US. 30 September 2019.
  58. News: Art Market: Mysterious gifts from the East. Norman. Geraldine. 13 December 1992. The Independent. 10 September 2019.
  59. Web site: The Eight Collections. nasserdkhalili.com. 10 September 2019.
  60. Web site: 25 June 2007. Collector shares beauty of Islamic art with world. 2020-09-24. CBC.
  61. Web site: Kennedy . Maev . 25 January 2012 . Hajj exhibition at British Museum . 2 September 2022 . The Guardian.
  62. Web site: Akbar . Arifa . 20 January 2012 . Pilgrim's progress: Journey to the Heart of Islam . 6 September 2022 . The Independent.
  63. Web site: Mishkhas . Abeer . 26 July 2013 . The British Museum's Hajj exhibition inspires Paris, Leiden and Doha . 2022-09-05 . Asharq Al-Awsat .
  64. Tamimi Arab . Pooyan . 2020-05-26 . Longing for Mecca (Verlangen naar Mekka): Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam (February 2019 – January 2020) . Material Religion . en . 16 . 3 . 394–396 . 10.1080/17432200.2020.1775420 . 1743-2200. free .
  65. News: Lawson-Tancred . Jo . 11 October 2019 . Around the world in 35,000 objects – and a handful of clicks . . 5 May 2021.
  66. Book: Sood, Amit . UNESCO The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity: Marking the 20th Anniversary . Khalili Foundation . 2021 . 978-1-3999-1149-8 . Ahmed . Waqas . London . 106 . Harnessing technology to explore humanity's culture.
  67. Web site: Ahmed . Waqas . McCarthy . Douglas . 16 March 2021 . Europeana and the Khalili Collections - introducing our new partnership . 2023-07-20 . Europeana PRO . en.
  68. Web site: Mainka . Inga . 6 July 2023 . Assassin's Creed Mirage Goes Back To Its Roots: Most Accurate AC In Years . 2023-07-20 . EarlyGame . en.
  69. Web site: 5 July 2023 . 'My son showed me Assassin's Creed, now I've helped build the new one' . 2023-07-20 . STV News . en-GB.

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