Objects being installed at the Powder and Damask: Islamic Arms and Armour from the Collection of Fadel Al Mansoori exhibition which opens on Sunday at the Museum of Islamic Art.
Preparations are under way for the exhibition titled Powder and Damask: Islamic Arms and Armour from the Collection of Fadel Al Mansoori which opens on Sunday (August 27) at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
Fadel Al Mansoori will be the first Qatari collector to display his notable Islamic arms and armour collection at MIA.
Powder and Damask, which will run from August 27 to May 12, will showcase an impressive selection of edged weapons and firearms crafted primarily in Turkey, Iran and India from the 17th to the mid-19th century.
The exhibition explores the art of craftsmanship, which reached unprecedented levels in these regions under the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires, where these objects were considered not only as weapons but as works of art.
The objects featured in the collection are of the diverse styles and materials, such as ivory, horn, gold inlay and calligraphy, used to decorate weapons during this time period. A highlight of the collection is its access to objects made from Damascus steel, which has long been highly prized as an important differentiator of quality that is generally seen in weapons made for high-ranking members of society and denotes status.
The technique was practiced by master craftsmen and metalsmiths, whose knowledge has been lost to history.
The exhibition will be divided into two main sections, with one gallery highlighting the production of edged weapons, while the other provides an insight into the production of firearms in the Islamic world. Across both sections, the interconnection between distant cultures is evident through the similar style and taste of decoration used across Turkey, India and Iran around the same time period.
An important aspect of Al Mansoori’s collection is his interest in conservation, encouraging other private collectors to educate themselves on the importance of proper care for the long-term preservation of historic artefacts.
Educational programmes, workshops, activities and events will be organised alongside the exhibition.
