Minister of Culture Ahmed Hanno announced the reopening of The Museum of Islamic Ceramics on October 15th. Islamic Pottery Museum was closed for 14 years for restoration.
The museum contains unique collections of Islamic ceramics, spanning from the Fatimids to the Ottoman eras.
The Museum of Islamic Ceramics is located on the first and second floors of Prince Amr Helmy Palace at Al Zamalek Arts Center.
Prince Amr Helmy Palace was constructed in 1923 and includes different architectural styles such as Moroccan and Turkish, as well as being influenced by modern European style.
The main hall contains a glass collection of many colorful windows that decorate the Main Hall dome.
Decorating windows, walls, corners, and doors with accurate and artistic decorations is a main feature of the prestigious Islamic arts.
Environment influenced the Muslim artists, who employed decorations taken from nature.
They also designed detailed geometric designs and calligraphy. Beside the Main Hall, the museum contains several halls, each displaying features of a certain period in the history of Islamic art.
1- Fatimid Hall
Displaying artifacts dating back to the Fatimid era is the main aim of the hall. The walls of the hall are divided into two parts. Half of the walls are designed in the Turkish style. White and blue Turkish ceramics organize together to form a certain geometric shape.
The other half was designed in the Arabesque style, combined with paintings of plants.
A dining table is centered in the hall. It is an original piece of the palace furniture.
19 pieces are displayed on the table, and all of them date back to the Fatimid era.
74 displayed artifacts include pots, plates, rings, and flasks. All pieces are decorated with rare Islamic designs.
2-Turkish Style Hall
This hall is characterized by unique calligraphies on the walls, and it has 12 showcases. Pots, plates, dishes, bowls, cups, and lanterns are displayed in the hall.
3-Egyptian Style Hall
It has many artifacts dating back to the Mamluk, Ayyubid, Ottoman, and Umayyad periods. Thirty-six pieces are exhibited in different-sized showcases. The walls were decorated with rectangular designs. Pieces of modern furniture were added to the hall for hosting seminars and cultural events.
4-Prince’s Hall
It is the richest hall in the palace. The dome of it was decorated with a model of the golden sun.
The hall contains the original furniture of Amr Helmy’s Palace.
Comments
Leave a Comment