In their important survey work titled Islamic Art and Architecture 650-1250, the art-historians Richard Ettinghausen, Oleg Grabar and Marilyn Jenkins-Medina write:

“The most striking feature of the arts under Fatimid rule was the establishment of Egypt, and more particularly of the newly created city of Cairo, as a major centre for artistic activities. The latter involved the construction of many buildings, their decoration in many techniques, the establishment of a brilliant art of lustre-painting ceramics and glass, carving ivory, rock crystal or wood, chasing and engraving metalwork, and an elaborate art of textile weaving.”

While the Fatimid period is one of the best documented periods in Islamic history, few studies on the arts and architecture of the Fatimids in North Africa and Egypt have been published.

As part of its Collection series, Simerg is delighted to offer its readers four books, all of which are now out-of-print, devoted to the arts of the Fatimid period.

1. Fatimid art at the Victoria and Albert Museum.- by Anna Contadini.- London, 1998.- 138 pages, colour plates, illustrations.- Hardback, dust-wrapper.

This is the first in-depth study of the arts of the Fatimids based on the outstanding collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, which houses one of the most important collection of materials in the world outside the Middle East from this period.

Price: US$75.00 + postage (and GST in Canada)

2. Tresors Fatimides du Caire.- Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Institut du Monde Arabe.- Paris, 1998.- 240 pages, illustrations.- Wrappers.

A four-month long exhibition bringing together the largest and most outstanding collection of arts and artefacts ever showcased relating to the Fatimids was held at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in 1998. This catalogue, in French, describes nearly 210 artworks from various public and private collections from all over the world that were displayed at this exhibition, which was inaugurated by Mawlana Hazar Imam on 27th April 1998.

Price: US$35.00 + postage (and GST in Canada)

3. L’Egypte Fatimide: son Art et son Histoire.- Edited by Marianne Barrucand.- Paris, 1999.- 704 pages, illustrations.- Wrappers.

To coincide with the Fatimid exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe, an international conference on various aspects of Fatimid art and history, co-sponsored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, was organised in Paris in May 1998. The proceedings of this colloquium are contained in this volume, which brings together over fifty papers – in English and French – presented by prominent scholars and art-historians. At the formal launch of this publication in December 1999, His Highness the Aga Khan expressed the hope that more scholarly exchanges and cultural initiatives “could help deepen public understanding of Islam and its intellectual and artistic heritage.”

Price: US$90.00 + postage (and GST in Canada)

4. Schatze der Kalifen: Islamische Kunst zur Fatimidenzeit.- Edited by Wilfried Seipel.- Wien, 1999.- 256 pages, illustrations.- Wrappers.

Between 16th November 1998 and 21st February 1999, the Fatimid exhibition was showcased at the Kunstlerhaus Museum in Austria. This catalogue, in German, presents nearly 250 artworks from public and private collections that were exhibited in Vienna, and includes many objects that were not shown in Paris.

Price: US$65.00 + postage (and GST in Canada)

NOTE

These books are available singly or as a collection.

Please send an email to simergbooks@aol.com for exact pricing to your destination and for details on how to reserve the volumes.

Payments via Paypal,  email or checks (North America) will be accepted. Simerg and simergbooks are Paypal verified.

YOUR LIBRARY

We are confident that these fine out of print books will add distinction and prestige to your library.

_________________

Check other items in the collection series at Collections

Please visit the Home page for quick links to recent articles, or if this is your first visit to the web site. For links to all articles on this web site please click  What’s New.