While you enjoy the 'Allure of the Near East,' revel in WCFMA's complementary display
This summer, visitors have the opportunity to see outstanding works of art from Iran, India and the Mediterranean, which are part of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts’ permanent collection.
Displayed just outside the Groh Gallery as “Collection Connections” (look for an icon on the labels) related to works in the special exhibition “Allure of the Near East: Treasures from the Huntington Museum of Art” (through Aug. 21), these examples of Near Eastern art are primarily Islamic.
They include manuscript pages, miniature paintings, ceramics, glass and a papier-mâché lacquer box.
This display draws upon a tradition of exhibiting arts of the Near East at the museum, one that reflects the worldly vision of its founders, Anna and William Singer, and that began in May 1933 with an exhibition of Persian art loaned by the American Institute for Persian Art & Archaeology (New York), Parish-Watson & Co., Inc. (New York), and Dikran G. Kelekian, a renowned collector of Islamic art.
Since many of the works currently on view are light sensitive, they can only be exhibited for a limited period of time — so be sure to come and see them soon.
While you visit, enjoy the refined details and intricate decoration of these objects, some of which require close examination. Like some of the examples on exhibit in Allure of the Near East, a portion of the works from the collection are both decorative and utilitarian. They would have been used by people for storing liquids and personal items as well as aesthetic enjoyment.
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Broadly speaking, the Near East refers to the lands wrapped around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing Asia Minor (Turkey), eastern Thrace, Palestine, Egypt, Transjordan, Mesopotamia, Iran, Transcaucasia and Arabia. In relation to these geographic locations, our presentation begins with the oldest items, ancient Roman unguentaria (perfume bottles) and sprinkler bottles (1st-2nd centuries CE).
Used to store and dispense liquid as well as powdered substances, these pieces were free- or mold-blown and became widely prevalent throughout the ancient Mediterranean. Later in history, the shapes, coloring and decorative patterns found in these examples significantly influenced the production of glass wares in the Islamic world.
Like Roman glass, Iranian ceramics served the needs of ordinary people. A Safavid-era earthenware vase featuring abstracted blue peacock and floral decoration on a tan ground, donated to the museum by Anna Singer in 1949, would have originally been found in the home of an individual with modest means.
By contrast, a richly ornamented papier mâché lacquer box, likely commissioned by a wealthy patron, contains lively scenes of court life on the top and inside of its lid. While various courtiers (likely an aristocratic couple) sit in a garden pavilion of a palace on the cover’s top, men on horseback are portrayed hunting deer and other wild game on its inside. Each of the scenes idyllically represents the pastimes of noble society in Qajar Iran, a place where vegetation, food and mirth abound.
As you look at these works, be sure not to miss a group of remarkable Iranian manuscript illuminations as well as a page (on exhibit in the Groh Gallery) from a book of Sufi (mystical) poetry, possibly written by either Rumi or Hafez (two renowned poets). This sheet is beautifully rendered with black ink and detailed with gold leaf, gilded borders, and arabesques that enliven its appearance.
The display continues with several portrait miniatures showcasing the exceptional talents of Indian artists.
A series of exquisitely detailed portraits represent four major Mughal sovereigns of India. The two largest ovals depict Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, while the small images represent his grandparents Akbar the Great and consort Mariam-uz-Zamani. Jahan is most famous for having commissioned the Taj Mahal at Agra, India, a tomb for his wife that remains one of the most renowned monuments in the world.
Lastly, two paintings very likely created in Mewar (a region of south-central Rajasthan in northern India) portray aristocrats and were likely part of a series depicting notable officials from the ruling Rajput caste (social class), including Raja Singh, one of the Maharana (kings) of the Sisodia Dynasty of Mewar. The artist who created both examples was especially adept at capturing the facial details of his subjects and their elaborate costumes, including embroidery, jewelry and headgear.
The museum is open from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Go to www.wcmfa.org or call 301-739-5727. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
*All works are from the collection of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Items from WCMFA permanent collection complement Near East exhibit
