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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.

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