the carpet halls at the Museum of Islamic Art
Carpets of Islamic cultures are an integral part of European cultural history. As evidence of the continuous cultural exchange between Europe and the Near and Middle East, they also form a focal point in the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Islamic Art.
With a new arrangement of the exhibition rooms, the colourful carpets now invite visitors to experience the origin and history of the collection with all their senses and to take a look at the current work with the carpets. The exhibition shows some of the oldest pieces in the collection.
They come from the former property of the museum founder, Wilhelm von Bode. His interest in Islamic art as an independent art form equivalent to European art was the origin of a collection that is still rare today, including carpets from today's Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus. Now, for the first time, carpets that suffered fire damage in the bombing of Berlin in 1945 are also being shown.
The destruction of important Persian carpets this year was a serious loss of the collection. One of the fragments is the Persian animal carpet from the 16th century, which was inventoried in 1904 as the first work of art under the number "I. 1". Also very characteristic is the Caucasian dragon carpet from the 16th century, which shows traces of fire over its entire length of six metres. A scent station with a specially created scent reminiscent of charred wool, incendiary bombs and chemicals brings the losses of this period to life. Visitors can also come into contact with the knots on the knotting technique models.
The measures taken to preserve the carpet collection in the post-war period are juxtaposed with today's work according to current conservation ethics and scientific standards.
The exhibition is made possible by the Alwaleed Philantrophies.
Image gallery
Kaukasischer Drachenteppich aus dem 16. Jahrhundert
