The exhibition with the title Tales from the Thousand and
One Nights. The Islamic Art in the Collections of the Moravian
Gallery in Brno introduces us to the collection of
objects of Islamic art in this institution. The presentation aims
to comprehensively, and for the very fi rst time in the Czech
Republic, show items relating to the Islamic Orient, whether by
their origin or by the fact that the Orient provided inspiration
to
European artists.
The set of almost 240 exhibits reveals the skills of the Islamic
world from Morocco to the Balkans and, via the Near East, as far as
Iran. As the artefacts were made with the purpose of service,
rather than pleasure, it is essentially erroneous to refer to them
as art. The approach to art in Islam is different to the
traditional western classifi cation, it is thought of mainly in
relation to everyday life and its expressions therefore appear more
like craftwork.
The most interesting and, at the same time, valuable items are
found in the textile department among carpets or examples of woven
cloths. The collection of metal objects presents standard household
utensils that met the demands of the middle strata of society,
commonly on sale at Oriental markets in the 18th - 19th century.
Other noteworthy artefacts in this category include calligraphers'
tools, ingenious censers, and mosque lamps. Also related to the
mosque environment is a set of faience tiles of various colours and
shapes, mostly dating back to the Middle Ages. The impeccable
output of crafted objects is showcased by varnished boxes or
furniture with mother-of-pearl inlays. Aesthetically enjoyable is
the collection of women's jewels from the traditional environment
of the Arabic peninsula. The men's world will be represented at the
exhibition by knives, swords and fi rearms. The final original
chapter embraces Orient-inspired items of European provenance
predominantly made in glass or ceramics.
The cultural, political and economic relations between Europe and
the Orient continue to attract researchers and the general public.
A rich shared history is a key to understanding many complex
situations of topical importance today. One of the paths to take in
order to learn about the background of the Islamic world is the
path leading via the common points in the cultural history of the
two worlds.
