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Cairo - The Islamic Museum |
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When the Ministry of
Culture decided to add to its series of
specialised museums one for of Islamic ceramics,
it chose the palace of Prince Ibrahim in Zamalek
built in 1343 H. (1924 A.D.).
Undoubtedly, this choice was inspired by the
palace’s impressive Islamic architecture and
dercoration, as well as its location in a quiet
and fashionable district in the heart of the city. |
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This splendid palace, a masterpiece in its own
right, provides an ideal setting for the precious
works of Muslim ceramists throughout Islamic
history. The Museum of Islamic Ceramics,
inaugurated late 1998, is an integral part of the
renovated and refurbished Gezira Art Centre
affiliated to the National Centre for Arts,
Ministry of Culture.
The first of its kind in the Middle East, it
houses a rare collection of ceramics acquired from
different Islamic countries that represent various
techniques of decoration applied in the Islamic
world from Morocco in the west to Iran in the
east. The collection comprises 315 pieces, of
which 116 are from Egypt representing popular
styles from the different Islamic eras, Umayyad,
Fatimid, Ayyubid and Mamluk, 118 pieces in Turkish
style ( Iznik and Kutahia ), 25 pieces in Syrian
style (Al-Raqqa), 48 pieces in Iranian style, 2
pieces in Andalusian style, 2 pieces in Iraqi
style and one piece in Moroccan style. The
ceramics include vessels, jars, tiles, mugs, jugs,
bowls, plates, pitchers, vases, lanterns, cups,
the oldest dating back to second century Hijra and
the most recent dating back to twelfth century
Hijra.
The pieces, carefully selected from the
acquisitions of the Gezira Museum (150 pieces)
Islamic Art Museum (159 pieces) and 6 pieces from
the very palace that houses the Museum of Islamic
Ceramics, are displayed on two floors in a total
area of 420 square meters. |
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