³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Arts & Culture

Last updated: 14 december, 2010 - 18:33 GMT

Khalili Collection: Picture gallery

Nearly 500 objects from the largest privately-owned collection of Islamic art in the world have been selected for a new show in Amsterdam - on until 17 April 2011 at

Anna visits Prof. Nasser D. Khalili at his London office to talk about his passion for Islamic art and the role of a collector.

Picture gallery: Passion for Perfection

  • Pendant in the form of an eagle. Mughal India, 18th century. Gold, cast and chased, set with foiled diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires in gold kundan
  • Incense burner in the form of a lynx. Iran, Khurasan, 12th century. Quaternary copper alloy, cast with openwork and finely engraved decoration
  • Figurine of a dromedary. Iran, Kashan, 13th century. Stonepaste ware, decorated in lustre over an opaque white glaze
  • Carpet with star medallions. Western Anatolia, Ushak (or UÅŸak), late 15th or early 16th century. Wool pile on a wool foundation
  • Tray. Jazira or western Iran, 1250–1300. Brass, inlaid with silver, engraved and chased
  • The giant ‘Uj and the prophets Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Possibly from the Qisas al-Anbiya’ (stories of the prophets). Iraq (Baghdad) or Iran (Tabriz), early 15th century. Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
  • Octagonal pan-box (pandan) and tray. Mughal India, c.1700AD. Gold and enamels.
  • Shallow dish. Probably Egypt, 8th-9th century AD. Transparent aquamarine glass, blown and tooled, decorated in bronze lustre, bleeding dull yellow.
  • Amulets. India, possibly Hyderabad, Deccan, late 18th or early 19th century AD gold on a lac core, foiled rubies, emeralds and diamonds in gold kundan, and edged with pearls. 11.8 cm.
  • Single folio from a Qur'an surah hud (XI, 'The prophet Hud'), verses 14 (middle) - 24 (middle). Probably from the Hijaz, early 8th century AD. Ink on vellum, hijazi script.
  • Maharana Sangram Singh of Mewar out hunting on his horse, Jambudvipa India, Rajasthan, Udaipur, c1720-30AD. Opaque watercolour and gold on paper.
  • Helmet in the form of a turban. Indian sub-continent (the Deccan), late 17th century AD. Steel, forged and engraved, steel wire, yellow velvet lining.
  • Stela. North India, 17th century AD. White crystalline marble, carved on both sides.
  • Bowl with a lion attacking a fox. Syria (probably Euphrates potteries), 12th century AD. Stonepaste ware, with lustre-painted decoration over a colourless transparent glaze.
  • Celestial globe signed by the astrolabist (al-asturlabi) Muhammad ibn Mahmud ibn 'Ali al-Tabari. Iran, dated 684 AH (1285-6 AD). Brass, sheet metal, with silver-inlaid dots. 13.4cm diameter.
  • Planispheric astrolabe. North Africa, 9th century AD. Brass, cast, with fretwork rete and surface engraving.
  • Section from a chasuble Bursa, 16th century AD. Silk lampas with silver thread on a silk foundation.
  • Panel with the single name, Allah, repeated. Probably North Africa, 18th century AD. Silk, plain weave.

To play this content JavaScript must be turned on and the latest Flash player installed.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ iD

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ navigation

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ © 2014 The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.