Islamic Metalwork from the Aron Collection

Descrizione

The Aron Collection of Islamic Metalwork has been built over many years of research. The present catalogue, which follows the first one curated by James W. Allan in 1986, illustrates a selection of objects from the collection. It studies the main regional schools that flourished in this expression of Islamic art, in particular in the areas of Iran and Central Asia, through specimens representing the breadth of their production. The items date mainly to the Medieval era, between the 9th and the 14th centuries, but include later works too.
A journey to discover an extremely technical and complex art, sometimes a real exercise in virtuosity, and one that is ultimately fascinating and sophisticated. Islamic metalwork has been deeply admired for centuries also in the Western world, providing a source of inspiration. The different shapes, uses and manufactures of the pieces in the collection offer a good overview of the main artistic streams in the metalworking art and open a window on the luxuries of the princely courts as well as on the everyday life of parts of Muslim society. They offer up a largely unknown vision of Islam.

Giovanni Curatola (Florence 1953) is full professor of Archaeology and History of Islamic Art at the University of Udine. He has also taught Islamic art at the universities of Venice, Florence and Milan. A keen traveller to the Eastern countries, archaeologist and historian of Islamic art, he is a scholar of international renown. He has published about 150 books and articles. He has organized and curated several exhibitions dedicated to Islamic culture in Italy and abroad, including “Islamic Art and Florence from the Medici to the 20th Century” at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in 2018.

Contents

The Aron Collection. An Introduction

Catalogue

Perfume Burners
Pitchers, Jugs, Ewers
Bottles
Candlesticks and Oil Lamps
Crucibles
Writing Instruments
Cups and Plates
Buckets
Mortars
Kashkuls
Weapons
Mirrors
Miscellaneous

Appendix

Readers of the Inscriptions
Bibliography